16 Days of Activism: Centre offers victims love and care

With 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children in full swing, the GCN visited the Bertha Gxowa Care Centre to learn more about the vital services and role of the centre in the community.

16 Days of Activism runs from November 25 to December 10.

The centre is ably run by operational manager Sister Hazel Moagi, overseen by Annah Mabunda, assistant manager for Clinical Forensic Medical Services, Ekurhuleni Health District, and a staff complement of nine members.

Staff include a doctor, counsellor, nurses and data capturers.

The centre was established as a result of the increasing number of sexual assault patients who were being seen in casualty.

“The government saw the need for dedicated facilities to see to women at hospitals post 1994,” said Mabunda.

“Before 1994, if you were a victim of rape, you were examined by the district surgeons in the mortuaries.”

The care centre offers a variety of services to people, including managing sexual offences, domestic violence and child abuse.

The staff are also extremely active running awareness campaigns on gender-based violence and educating community members.

“Our campaigns take different forms,” said Moagi.

“We do door-to-door campaigns, awareness walks, we visit the malls and speak to people there, we talk to community members one-on-one, we visit taxi ranks, hold dialogues with the community and visit schools to speak to the children.”

Mabunda said that the care centre’s services are offered free of charge and they encourage local businesses to make use of their services.

“Many women cannot leave work to attend the campaigns, and, by visiting companies, we will be able to talk to them and give them the necessary information they need,” said Mabunda.

When a woman has been raped and visits the centre she will first be debriefed.

She will then be treated, given medication and counselling will be arranged for her.

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It is important for victims of sexual abuse to visit the centre as soon as possible after the incident.

“Women should not wait but rather come straight to the centre or to the police after the incident,” said Moagi.

“We encourage women not to wait longer than 72 hours, as the sooner you receive medical and psycho-social care the better.

“For effective HIV treatment, a victim needs to start on their anti-retrovirals within 72 hours, and, to prevent pregnancy, medication must be taken within 120 hours.”

However, even if the 72-hour period has elapsed victims are advised to visit the centre for medical treatment and counselling.

“All victims are encouraged to seek the necessary help,” said Moagi.

The Bertha Gxowa Care Centre works closely with the SAPS, especially the Germiston and Boksburg Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Units, as well as the courts.

For 16 Days of Activism, the centre will be conducting one-on-one talks at Golden Walk Shopping Centre today (Wednesday), as well as partnering with another organisation for an event taking place in Dukathole on Thursday (November 28).

The Bertha Gxowa Care Centre can be contacted on 011 278 7622/3 or those in need of help can visit Bertha Gxowa Hospital and ask to be directed to the care centre.

If you would like the staff to visit your company to discuss gender-based violence with your staff members, you can contact Moagi on the above-mentioned number.

Services offered by the care centre

The care centre offers services to victims of:

• Sexual offences.

• Domestic violence.

• Child abuse.

• Elderly abuse.

It also offers the following other services:

• Drinking and driving cases (they take blood).

• Medical assessments for children going into placement or people going into rehabilitation.

• Age assessment for court purposes.

• Sex determination for Home Affairs.

• Psycho-social care.

• Campaigns related to gender-based violence.

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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Ashley Kiley (Journalist) ashleyk@caxton.co.za.

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