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Police Minister Fikile Mbalula has launched a Six-Point Plan to guide police on how to treat victims of gender-based violence.

The plan will guide the police on how to behave, what to do and how to do it when it comes to issues of sexual offences and domestic violence.

“The Six-Point Plan will be a concise guide for both our police and communities. We are putting our people first… we are confirming their dignity and human rights. We are frankly saying, in us, in your government, you have a reliable group of people committed to making your life better,” Minister Mbalula said.

The Six-Point Plan includes that:

• All victims should be treated with respect, dignity and interviewed by a trained police official in a victim sensitive manner;

Victims should be assisted in a victim-friendly room or an alternative room where the statement will be taken in private or other location providing victim support services;

Victims will be referred/taken for medical examination by a healthcare professional to obtain medical evidence and complete a medical report, including seeing to the health of the victim; The investigation should be conducted by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Investigation Unit or a detective with relevant training; The families and victims of sexual offences, femicide and infanticide should all be referred to victim support services that are available within the precinct for legal, medical, social and psychological help; and

Victims should be proactively given feedback on the progress of their cases on a continuous basis.

Minister Mbalula said each police station will have the six points posted visibly at the station and that awareness has been created and a national instruction prepared in this regard.