5 September 2016 | News
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AreWeSafe gender and sexuality symposium brings social issues to light DITEBOGO TSHAKA UP&Out held a gender and sexuality symposium on Friday 26 August, part of a campaign aimed to inform students, staff, and the immediate UP community on institutions available to them in and around Hatfield campus in the event that they experience sexual harassment or violence. The symposium also addressed “rape culture” and how it is perpetuated and manifests. In attendance were SAPS Brooklyn, the Department of Health Tshwane, UP Security Services, UP Clinic Services and a student affairs panel made of UP’s Department of Student Affairs (DSA). Before these participants presented material relating to the topic, certain critical terminology about gender identities and sexual orientations was defined. A distinction was made between gender and sex, illustrating that gender is a social construct, whereas sex is physiological. It was highlighted that heterosexuality is not necessarily normal, just more common. Emphasis was put on how LGBTQIA+ rights are human rights and yet “how we afford humanness on what we’re taught at home or at church”, often times resulting in a gross violation of these rights. Sergeant Refilwe Tlabi, a member of SAPS, presented the services offered by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses Unit (FCS). This unit takes victims of sexual violence to medical facilities for examination and gives any further relevant assistance. The unit has branches in Brooklyn, Sunnyside, Lyttelton, Garsfontein, Silverton, and Pretoria North. The branches contain facilities such as a DNA linkages unit and a victim empowerment room. The procedure for assistance begins with going to the police station to report a case and opening a docket. Thereafter statements are taken and a SAPS police station representative will immediately call the unit. The unit transports the victim to the doctor. FCS mostly uses the Medico-Legal Crisis Centre at Steve Biko, Lyttelton Health, or Mamelodi Health for evidence gathering and medical assistance. Following this, the DNA gathered is taken to labs for testing. Should the victim know and be able to identify the suspect, the unit immediately performs the necessary steps to arrest the suspect, if not the unit relies on the DNA evidence to identify a suspect. DNA identification is made possible through SAPS’ DNA Linkages Unit. Whenever any person is arrested, SAPS performs a buccal
Photo: Shen Scott
swab to enable linking the suspect to any past, present future crimes. Tlabi said that the unit’s mission is to “turn victims into survivors”. “Our first and second quarter 2016 conviction rate was at 72%”, she said. Mr Mike Nkozi, a representative of Tshwane’s Department of Health discussed the challenges the Department has overcome post-1994 such as a lack of privacy and skill when handling victims of sexual harassment or violence, which then led to poor conviction rates. To address these challenges, the department decided to create dedicated facilities with specially trained forensic nurses. Thuthuzela Crisis Centres (TCC) and Medicolegal Crisis Centres are such facilities that render free services to gender-based violence survivors. Their aim is to offer a holistic and comprehensive approach to assisting victims of sexual violence, from gathering evidence and laying a criminal charge to victim counselling. An ideal TCC includes FCS member, a doctor and forensic nurse, a social worker, case manager, victim assistant officer and a counsellor. Rowan Watson, head of UP’s Security Services, emphasised the need for students to
immediately report any emergency situations to the numbers printed on student and personnel cards. “Our contracted reaction time to you is within two and a half minutes. Someone will be there to assist you,” he said about response times. He defined an emergency situation as “When your life’s in danger. When you’ve had a narrow escape with an assault, a robbery, whatever the case may be.” UP has an investigation unit that operates on standby duty and is available 24 hours a day. The unit handles investigations of all crime on campus as well as student and personnel misconduct. UP’s Security Services also works closely with SAPS Brooklyn and other stations in whose jurisdiction the Hatfield campus falls and can assist students in opening criminal cases. The aim of this is to limit a victim’s retelling of the incident. “We can write a sworn statement should you [want] to open a criminal case,” he said about facilitating victims in opening criminal or disciplinary cases. However, the Security Services’ mandate of authority regarding investigations is still limited in certain situations such as rape, sexual assault, or murder. To avoid secondary victimisation in these circumstances, the Security Services will
contact the relevant SAPS authority and the victim will only have to relay the incident once to all relevant parties. Lastly, the DSA panel, headed by Dr Matete Madiba, the Director of the Department of Student Affairs, presented their recommended procedure to follow should a rape occur. The presentation consisted of a continuum of primary, secondary and tertiary actions. The first step was to report the crime followed by legal, medical and emotional health assistance. Dr Madiba continued to elaborate on the legal, medical and emotional support that UP’s Department of Student Support offers. Dr Madiba emphasised prioritising reporting first, but stressed that “categorisation doesn’t imply a lower level of importance for any of these steps”. She also highlighted the need to improve the level of preparedness of the staff that assist students in the event of sexual violence, harassment or assault by increasing their training and available resources. “We need to up our game in such a way that we discourage perpetrators from committing crimes”, she said. UP&Out holds weekly support groups that offer extended discussions on these topics.
2017 SRC candidate list announced CHAD JOHNSTON A preliminary SRC candidate list for 2017 has been announced. The list has been posted on Click UP and on notice boards around campus. Due to the IT system being slow the list was released late and therefore the deadline for
President Hendrico Barnard Cara-Lee Compton Gift Mpho Gobuamang Michael Bongani Reinders Secretary Nobuhle Jodi Chikowi Marycath Crowder Roseketswe Landane Maikeleng Ledimo Joanne le Roux Terrance Komane Masemola Lisa Koketso Mokoditoa
objections was extended to 2 September 16:00. Two members from the 2016 SRC, Michael Bongani Reinders and Thabo Shingange have applied to run for another term on the SRC. The list contains the names of 48 potential candidates. SRC elections are scheduled for 20 September.
Treasurer Mishkah Sattar Abdool Luca Daniel Cesler Amanda Hadebe Andre Heyns Makhosi Tshepiso Mathole Excellent Sindane Gift Mpho Gobuamang Marketing, Media and Communication Diana-Lee de Sousa Moniz Carli Kuhn Karabo Dimakatso Mogafe
Facilities, Safety and Security Mishkah Sattar Abdool Raymond Mojalefa Matlala Tsepho Hendrie Kobe Friederich Werner Beineke Koketso Motau Tsholanang Mabiletsa
Day Student and External Campus Affairs Du Toit Moolman Excellent Sindane Lee Roxaane Paans Malepe Lewis Tobela Jacques Tobias Winterbach Patrick Nqubeko Ndlovu
Study Finance Elvis Koketso Aphane Henry Derek Egan Amanda Hadebe Catherine Mathe Madelie Opperman
Transformation and Student Success Terrance Komane Masemola Armand Juan Ferreira Marycath Crowder Paul Vuyani Mrali
Postgraduate and International Student Affairs Theresa Muzondo Willemien Danielle Badenhorst Makhosi Tshepiso Mathole
Societies Samkelo Catyiwe Margaret Alana James Tsepho Hendrie Kobe Tsholanang Mabiletsa Nicolaas Andries Oelofse Keabetswe Jackson Sekgobela Lee Roxaan Paans