“With the support of Making All Voices Count we are able to embrace an innovative approach to give a voice to survivors of sexual assault.” — Gustaaf Wolvaardt, FPD
77%
of South African women have experienced some form of violence at least once in their lifetime
Less than 50%
of women report incidents of violence to the police
July 2014 End date
December 2015
Issue
South Africa is facing an epidemic of gender-based violence and sexual assault. A Gender Links study in 2014 showed that in some provinces up to 77% of women have experienced some form of violence - emotional, economic, physical or sexual - at least once in their lifetime.
Project
In response to this wave of violence, Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCC) have been introduced as a critical part of South Africa’s anti-rape strategy. The care centres are one-stop facilities that aim to reduce secondary trauma for the victim, improve conviction rates and reduce the cycle time for finalising cases against accused rapists.
The Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) is funded by Making All Voices Count to implement an ambitious, multi-stakeholder project working with TCCs to track survivors of sexual assault through health, justice and psychosocial support services.
The project, Thuthuzela Voices, works to improve coordination and continuity of care between service providers, and to give survivors of gender-based violence both a voice and a means through which to hold service providers to account.
Through a low-cost, phone-based app, the project supports the care centres’ case management process, providing a confidential way to document survivors’ experience and improve their access to justice through a National Prosecution Authority led TCC network.
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The vision of the Foundation for Professional Development (Pty) Ltd is to build a better society through education and capacity development. FPD’s mission is to catalyse social change through developing people, strengthening systems and providing innovative solutions.
Publications
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View publication
Client experience of rape victims accessing governmental…
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View publication
Feasibility and acceptability of a mobile phone…