North West MEC for Social Development, Women, Children and People living with Disabilities, Ms Mosetsanagape Mokomela-Mothibi, will officially open the Rustenburg safe house on Thursday as part her department’s Victim Empowerment Programme.
This important development is part of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign, which seeks to mobilise the entire society against the abuse and victimisation of women and children. Through the Rustenburg safe house and the victim empowerment programme, the department strives to make the criminal justice system more victim-friendly and to minimise the negative impact of crime on victims.
The Safe House will provide a home for survivors of abuse where they can be protected and enabled to recover from the abuse in a safe and supportive environment. It is envisaged that the safe house benefit the following: abused women and children; physically or emotionally abused persons; survivors of sexual assault and rape; abused older persons; abused persons with disabilities; survivors of domestic violence and survivors of human trafficking. While accommodated in the safe house, victims or survivors will be provided with counselling and victim support, access to medical care and the justice system.
The safe house will provide temporary refuge for survivors who have suffered physical or emotional abuse as well as their children on a 24 hour basis throughout the year.
Members of the media are invited to attend the launch of the Rustenburg safe house which will be held as follows:
Date: Thursday, 9 December 2010
Time: 10h00
Venue: Civic Centre, Rustenburg
