Violence against women:

An evaluation of service provider

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A survey of violence against women in metropolitan South Africa shows that survivors of domestic and sexual assault are largely satisfied with treatment received by doctors, nurses and counsellors. Reports on the police are less positive. The second in a two part brief (see Volume 3 Number 3) presents women’s views of service providers and ideas about what needs to be done.

The opinions of 269 women of abuse and violence in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, were canvassed about medical services, the police, district surgeons, courts and counsellors (including social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists). Assessments of the courts and district surgeons are not presented below since few women had experience with these services.

Medical services

Almost all women (91%) in the study were satisfied with treatment. But accessing medical services was a problem. Most women (86%) were treated more than one hour after they were injured. However, medical personnel were rarely responsible for these delays: only 11% of women said they waited because the doctor arrived late or was unavailable (Figure 1). Many said they struggled to reach medical facilities mainly due to transport problems. Others had no means of reaching a doctor and several were prevented by the abuser from getting help within an hour.

Figure 1: Reasons for a delay of more than one hour before receiving medical treatment ( n = 43 )

Source: ISS Violence Against Women survey, 1998

Results also show that doctors and nurses are likely to know the details of abuse cases: almost all women (94%) said medical staff inquired about the incident. As many said they told the truth about what happened. Medical personnel could assist in collecting information about violence against women.

Table 1 Women reporting sexual and physical abuse to police with whom standard procedures were followed

Procedures	N	Total	%
Case number given	27	43	62.8
Name of officer taking statement given	24	41	58.5
Name of investigating officer given	22	41	53.7
Assisted in a private room	11	42	26.2
Taken to the district surgeon	7	37	18.9
Photos taken of injuries	6	41	14.6

The police

Thirty percent of women reported the incident of abuse that they considered to be most serious, to the police. Of the 46 that were reported in the past five years, most (82%) were handled by a male official in the charge office. Seventy-two percent of women would have preferred dealing with a female.

The views of only 46 women do not necessarily reflect those of abused women in general. Nevertheless, a qualitative analysis gives some insight into how cases are handled by the police. Table 1 shows that many basic police duties and standard procedures were not carried out. (In some instances the failure to take photographs, assist women in a private room and transport them to a district surgeon may have been due to a lack of resources and infrastructure at the police station.)

Few of the 46 women were informed of their rights when making a statement (Table 2). Two thirds were not even told of at least one of their rights, many of which are important in preparing cases for trial. For example, 86% of women were not told they could make supplementary statements at a later stage — crucial information for someone in shock at the time of reporting a violent incident.

Table 2 Cases in which police informed women of their rights when making a statement

Rights	N	Total	%
To make a statement in a home language	14	42	33.3
Have medical exam before making statement	12	41	29.3
Be given information about arrests and trials	10	40	25
To have a companion present	7	42	16.7
To make supplementary statements later	6	42	14.3

Police were more likely to tell women about their legal options than they were to inform them of their rights when making a statement (Table 3).

Table 3 Cases in which police informed women about their legal rights

Legal options	N	Total	%
Domestic violence
Lay a charge of assault	14	26	53.8
The interdict	14	27	51.8
Request a peace order	9	26	34.6
Pursue a civil case	5	25	20
Sexual violence
Laying criminal charges	8	14	57.1
Open a civil case	3	14	21.4

Although in the majority of cases the police did not follow standard procedures and inform women of their rights, nearly half of the women were generally satisfied with the treatment they received (Table 4). The data in Tables 1—4 suggest that the attitudes of the police officials who assisted these 46 women were largely satisfactory, but that their effectiveness in completing basic police duties needs drastic improvement.

Table 4 How women who reported abuse perceived the attitueds of the police

	N	Total	%
Police believed victim	31	39	79.4
Police understood the problem	27	41	65.8
Police were willing to help	26	36	72.2
Victim felt comfortable with police	24	38	63.1
Victim was generally satisfied	19	40	47.5

How cases are resolved also influences victims’ perceptions of the police. Many of the 39 cases covered were not resolved:

abusers was not arrested:
3 cases



case opened but no progress:
7 cases



case did not go to court for prosecution: 9 cases

Of those cases that were resolved, six were withdrawn, eight resulted in the arrest of the abuser and three ended when abusers received fines or warnings. Only two of the 39 cases went to trial.

Counselling services

Of all the women who received counselling of some kind, 117 described their experiences in detail. Most (87%) felt understood and the majority (85.5%) were given advice. Perceptions of counsellors were clearly positive: 82% of respondents were satisfied with the treatment they received. Women said that counselling had helped them or that the counsellor had been believing and supportive.

How to improve service

Although opinions varied for each service provider, several themes emerged:

Raising awareness, providing education and improving attitudes of service providers towards women.



Improve service providers’ protocols for dealing with victims.



Improve the efficiency of service providers.



Co-ordinate service providers. Multi-disciplinary teams should be housed in the same location.



Provide more counselling and shelters.



Employ more women in helping agencies.



Ensure the justice system metes out harsher punishment for abusers.

Police: women were most likely to say that the police should receive more education and training to understand domestic violence (Figure 2). One example was that police need to understand why
victims request that the charges against abusers be withdrawn.

Figure 2: Views on how police service to abused women could be improved ( n = 269 )

Source: ISS Violence Against Women survey, 1998

Social welfare: the range of services offered should be extended, both in amount and in variety (Figure 3). Examples included running education programmes for men, trying to prevent and treat a wider range of problems, home visits, more preventive work and providing compulsory counselling for abusers.

Figure 3: Views on how social welfare services could be improved ( n = 243 )

Source: ISS Violence Against Women survey, 1998

Emergency rooms and clinics: nearly a third of the women said that the attitudes of medical personnel could be improved (Figure 4). Longer service hours were also mentioned.

Figure 4: Views on how the service at emergency clinics and hospitals could be improved ( n = 266)

Source: ISS Violence Against Women survey, 1998

District surgeons: the attitudes of district surgeons were mentioned most often (Figure 5). In particular, women said these doctors should be more sympathetic and less judgmental. A quarter said district surgeons require better training. Some suggested that victims of violence be allowed to request a female district surgeon.

Figure 5: Views on how the service of district surgeons could be improved ( n = 199)

Source: ISS Violence Against Women survey, 1998

Courts: Just under half the women surveyed requested harsher punishment in the form of longer sentences and no parole for convicted abusers (Figure 6). Some believed this would deter abusers — others felt that abusers serve their entire prison sentence.

Figure 6: Violence on how courts could Improve service to abused women ( n = 269)

Source: ISS Violence Against Women survey, 1998

Antoinette Louw,
Institute for Security Studies