Exploring policing strategies in response to violence against women and girls in Johannesburg

Abstract

This study aims to explore policing strategies in response to violence against women and girls in South Africa. Data was collected by conducting in-depth interviews with South African Police Service members from the Johannesburg Central Cluster in Gauteng, who attend to domestic violence complaints as first responders as well as investigators at the station level who conduct domestic violence investigations. The in-depth interviews provide a comprehensive understanding of participants’ experiences relating to policing strategies to address violence against women and girls. Moreover, a review of international best practices provides an enhanced sense of policing strategies to combat violence against women and girls. The research findings reveal the South African Police Services experience numerous shortcomings in its strategies to address violence against women and children, various internal challenges concerning the proactive and reactive policing of violence against women and girls, and inconsistencies in the service that the police service provides to women and girls, which consequently influence its ability to address violence against women and girls effectively. Based on these findings, a procedural framework to enhance policing strategies in response to violence against women and girls is proposed, thus contributing to the current body of knowledge.

Lolu cwaningo beluhlose ukuhlola amasu omsebenzi wamaphoyisa ekuphenduleni udlame olubhekiswe kwabesifazane namantombazane. Imininingwane iqoqwe ngokwenza izingxoxo ezijulile namalungu oMbutho Wamaphoyisa aseNingizimu Afrika e-Johannesburg Central cluster eGauteng, abhekana nezikhalazo zodlame lwasekhaya, njengabaphenduli bokuqala ezigamekweni ezifana nalezi, nabaphenyi ezingeni lesiteshi abenza uphenyo ngodlame lwasekhaya and Izingxoxo ezijulile zinikeza ukuqonda okuphelele kokuhlangenwe nakho kwabahlanganyeli mayelana ngamasu omsebenzi wamaphoyisa okuhloswe ngawo ukubhekana nodlame olubhekiswe kwabesifazane namantombazane. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuhlola izindlela ezingcono zamazwe ngamazwe kunikeza ukuqonda okujulile ngamasu omsebenzi wamaphoyisa okuhloswe ngawo ukulwa nodlame olubhekiswe kwabesifazane namantombazane. Imiphumela yocwaningo iveza ukuthi i-SAPS ihlangabezana nezingqinamba ekubhekaneni nodlame olubhekiswe kwabesifazane nezingane, ibhekene nezinselelo ezehlukene zangaphakathi eziphathelene nokukhuthala komsebenzi wamaphoyisa asebenzayo ekulweni nodlame olubhekiswe kwabesifazane namantombazane, kanye nokungaguquguquki emsebenzini ohlinzekwa uphiko lwamaphoyisa kwabesifazane namantombazane, okuba nomthelela ekhonweni lawo lokubhekana ne-VAWG ngempumelelo. Ngokusekelwe kulokhu okutholakele, kuhlongozwa uhlaka lwenqubo lokuthuthukisa amasu okusebenza kwamaphoyisa ekuphenduleni udlame olubhekiswe kwabesifazane namantombazane; kanjalo, ukufaka isandla emgudwini wamanje wolwazi.

Dinyakišišo tše di ikemišeditše go lekola mekgwa ya go šoma ga maphodisa ge go arabelwa dikgaruru kgahlanong le basadi le basetsana. Tshedimošo e kgobokeditšwe ka go diriša dipotsološo tše di tseneletšego le maloko a maphodisa a sehlopha sa Bogareng sa ka Johannesburg ka Gauteng sa Tirelo ya Maphodisa ya Afrika Borwa (SAPS) bao ba šomilego ka dingongorego tša go amana le dikgaruru tša ka malapeng bjalo ka baarabi ba mathomo go ditiragalo tšeo, lebanyakišiši ka maemong a ka seteišeneng bao ba dirago dinyakišišo tša dikgaruru tša ka malapeng. Dipotsološo tše di tseneletšego di fana ka tsebo ka bophara mabapi le maitemogelo a bakgathatema go amana le mekgwa ya go šoma ga maphodisa ye e ikemišeditšego go šoma ka dikgaruru kgahlanong le basadi le basetsana. Godimo ga fao, go lekodišiša ditiro tše kaone tša boditšhabatšhaba go fana ka tsebo ye e tseneletšego mabapi le mekgwa ya go šoma ga maphodisa ye e ikemišeditšego go lwantšha dikgaruru kgahlanong le basadi le basetsana. Dikutollo tša dinyakišišo di utolla gore SAPS e kopana le ditlamorago tše di sego tša loka ge e šoma ka dikgaruru kgahlanong le basadi le bana. Ka gare, SAPS e lebane le ditlhohlo tše ntši tša go amana le bobedi mekgwa ya go šoma ga maphodisa ya go ithomela le go arabela seemo ya go lwantšha dikgaruru kgahlanong le basadi le basetsana. Godimo ga fao, go se swane ga ditirelo tše di abjago ke SAPS go basadi le bana go ama kudu bokgoni bja yona bja go šoma ka dikgaruru kgahlanong le basadi le basetsana gabotse. Go ya ka dikutollo tše, motheo wa tshepedišo o a šišinywa ka nepo ya go maatlafatša mekgwa ya go šoma ga maphodisa ge ba arabela dikgaruru kgahlanong le basadi le basetsana; go rago gore, go tsenya letsogo go tsebo ya bjale.