LifeLine offers help for all

For Mandela Day the team from LifeLine West Rand joined other stakeholders to help a child-headed household, and with August being Women’s Month they want victims of crime and abuse to know that there is help available.

Mandela Day
On July 18 the team joined other stakeholders to build a shack for a family three of which the head of the household is only 22 years old. Stella Mnyani from LifeLine explained that their mother passed away two years ago and the responsibility of taking care of the family fell to the 22-year-old woman who was unemployed.

With donations that they received they spent the day building a shack for the family, painting it and laying outside and indoor cement flooring. They partnered with the Department of Social Development, which donated blankets to the family. The team then went around and told the community that they needed to speak up and help one another if they knew their neighbour was struggling.

Meanwhile the 22-year-old woman had been employed by Mogale City as part of their HIV programme team.

Men’s and Boy’s Programme
Daniel Motsosi who runs the organisation’s Men’s and Boy’s Programme explained that they had noticed that most perpetrators of gender-based violence were male, and that they wished to determine the root causes of the issues.

“Every year there are programmes for women but not for men,” he explained and added that they wanted to get men of all ages together to talk to them. They realised that most of the men were not comfortable to discuss their problems in the presence of women and by learning from each other they could ensure that young men are brought up knowing how to handle stress, conflict and how to communicate.

You can contact the LifeLine office to arrange for Daniel and his team to host a similar dialogue in your area, or contact the crisis line to speak to a counsellor.

In the past we focused on adults, forgetting that the problems start at the roots. If you teach them right from young we can do away with gender-based violence.”

Help for victims
As LifeLine supports their community in so many ways and with Women’s Month being in full swing they want victims of rape and gender-based violence to know that help is available.

Karina Swart, director of LifeLine West Rand said they wish to ensure rape victims that all the help they need is available at their rape survivors centre at the Leratong Hospital. They have been involved with the centre for the past two years and Karina said following the recent gang rape of eight women as well as the rape of four women in Tarlton, three of whom subsequently were murdered, they wanted to react to these gruesome crimes.

The centre is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week as well as on public holidays. When visiting the centre victims immediately get psycho-social services, among them counselling for the forensic and medical investigation. Afterward they are supported during the trial and also receive ongoing counselling and support.

They work with the Departments of Health and Social Development and the justice system to assist rape survivors.

What you need to know about the process
1. Safety first – Call the police or go to the Thuthuzela Care Centre. Tell someone you trust, keep all evidence, and try not to wash your body or change your clothes. Rape can cause health problems like HIV so get to health services as soon as possible.
2. Health Services – You should be offered a medical examination, an HIV test, post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV, a pregnancy test and the morning-after pill, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, referral to treatment and counselling.
3. Reporting the rape – At the police station you will be asked to give a statement and assigned a case number. An investigating officer will contact you to keep you informed. You may be asked to identify the perpetrators in an identity parade, you can ask to have the perpetrators tested for HIV, and if you are worried about your safety you can apply for a protection order.
4. Going to court – Your case may be sent to a prosecutor who will let you know if the perpetrator had been given bail, help you prepare for trial, take a victim-impact statement from you, and help you tell the court what happened. If your case doesn’t go to court, it doesn’t mean that you were not raped or that people did not believe you.
5. Getting help – Counselling can help you recover. It is a safe space to talk about rape, deal with trauma and prepare for court. You can get help from a support organisation near you or a social worker. If you live with the perpetrator, tell the police, social worker or counsellor so that they can help you to be safe.
6. Complaints – You have the right to all these services. You have the right to be treated with sensitivity and respect. If you have been treated unfairly or any of the service providers did not do what they were supposed to, you can complain.

Important numbers to have:
Police – 10111
Rape Services – *134*334#
LifeLine – 0861 322 322 email: lifelinecounselling@gmail.com (a trained counsellor is available every day to offer telephonic support through abuse, relationships, trauma, addiction, personal crisis)
GBV Helpline – 0800 150 150
Face-to-face counselling – 011 665 2281 email: office@lifelinewestrand.co.za fax: 086 589 3627
Aids telephone hotline – 0800 0123 22 (counselling and information are offered on all aspects of HIV, Aids and abuse)

Annual general meeting
LifeLine will be hosting their annual AGM on September 13 at 17:00. If anyone wants to attend please contact the office on 011 665 2281 to RSVP before September 1.