Trauma room offers hope to crime victims
KHAYELITSHA residents have been urged to speak out against crime at the launch of a refurbished trauma room at Lingelethu West police station.
Police officially re-opened the “victimfriendly room” to provide emotional support to victims of crime in the area.
Andrew Anthony, chief executive of Business Against Crime Western Cape, said at the launch on Friday: “The upgrading and relaunch of the victim-friendly room is to acknowledge the plight of victims of crime and to instill hope.”
Addressing residents at Shawco Community Centre, near the police station, Anthony said the elderly, poor, women and children were most vulnerable to crime. But “the sad reality” was that crime occurred in houses and communities where the victims live, but they remained silent about it.
“The biggest enemy that enhances crime against women and children is silence,” he said, adding that “silence is no longer golden. Speak out against the perpetrators of crime”.
Khayelitsha police cluster commander Major-General John Brand said trained victim support volunteers would use the facility to provide counselling and assistance to people who sought refuge there.
“Imagine your child is coming from school. She is raped and murdered with a hammer. You report the matter to the police and everyone is listening,” he said.
Now victims will talk to police in private.
“I will plead with Lingelethu West police to make the facility open 24 hours a day because crime happens anytime,” he said.
Khayelitsha Community Policing Forum spokesman Lungu Guza said the previous trauma room did not function well because of lack of funding and sponsors.”We didn’t have trained victim support volunteers, so victims didn’t get adequate emotional support. Now we have the facility so victims will receive all the necessary support.”
Olwethu Hlangu, who spoke on behalf of the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court, said: “We want crime victims to know we are part of efforts to help them. Victims must refrain from withdrawing charges. In my experience once the charges are cancelled the abuser continues to ill-treat the victim.”
Khayelitsha SuperSpar general manager Kokkie Crous, who funded the relaunch of the trauma room, said: “We are in the community for the community, so we funded the whole development.” He said Khayelitsha residents supported the shop when thugs tried to rob it last month.