Starting her police career in 2001 as an undercover crime intelligence unit officer, Sgt Barbara Tshunungwa of Sebenza SAPS talked about her work as a domestic violence (DV) coordinator for the station.
A DV police officer is responsible for cases related to violence among people in close relations.
This could be gender-based violence, assault in families or marriages and other related cases.
In 2005, Tshunungwa moved to Sebenza Police Station and was appointed in 2016 as DV coordinator.
“I handle cases with sympathy, patience and understanding towards community members and colleagues.
“I have been trained to not let my emotions get in the way.
“I do not judge. The first thing I do is to get both sides of the story. This is to evaluate and see if we can find a solution before opening a case, which depends on the gravity of the case.”
Tshunungwa works with different cases, which includes physical, economic, emotional, verbal and psychological abuse and intimidation.
“In some of the cases, couples fight because of their partners arriving late at home. In other cases, one partner is not fulfilling their financial responsibilities. Other cases have people who are just abusive.”
She tries to mediate if a complaint is related to money issues.
One of the greatest challenges the DV officer faces is cases being dropped after reporting incidents to the police.
“Victims come back to drop cases after they have opened them, which is a misuse of the State’s resources and time. They tell us that they have sorted out the matter, as a family, or they are fine at that stage.”
Tshunungwa attributed this behaviour to the fact that some victims are dependent on their abusers.
“At Sebenza SAPS, we do not allow anyone to just drop domestic violence cases, they will have to do that in court,” said the officer.
The reason for this is the dangers it might pose to victims.
“This can result in the person being victimised,” said the officer.
Women also abuse men.
One of the many challenges Tshunungwa faces is men being afraid to report cases.
“They are afraid the police will laugh at them. Murder cases are related to this, as men don’t know where to go in difficult times.”
The DV officer said she remains neutral so both parties feel like they have been heard equally.
Tshunungwa does not work in isolation.
She works with the Department of Social Works and the Ikhaya Lethemba organisation for more serious cases which need therapists and other specialists.
“I thank the community members who always help me in cases when victims are in need of things like clothes or food. Every two months, I go to different sectors in the area where I host DV campaigns to interact with the community.
Contact Tshunungwa on 082 319 9438 or 011 400 6000.
Ikhaya Lethemba, the one-stop centre for victims of crime and violence, can be contacted on 011 242 3000.
Tips from Sebenza SAPS DV coordinator Tshunungwa
• Don’t open and drop cases.
• If a couple has problems, they should talk to somebody who can help them, like family members.
• Women must voice their problems when they need help.
Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998
Domestic violence is regulated by the Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998.
The Act was introduced in 1998 to afford women protection from domestic violence by creating obligations on law enforcement bodies, such as the South African Police Service, to protect victims as far as possible.
The Act attempts to provide victims of domestic violence with an accessible legal instrument with which to prevent further abuse taking place within their domestic relationships.
The Act recognises that domestic violence is a serious crime against our society and extends the definition of domestic violence to include not only married women and their children, but also unmarried women who are involved in relationships or living with their partners, people in same-sex relationships, mothers and their sons, and other people who share a living space.
