Support For Abuse Victims At Khayelitsha Hospital
The Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) at Khayelitsha Hospital, is a place of support for women and children who are being abused and living in Khayelitsha and the surrounding areas. Western Cape Government Health encourages all those in that area, that are being abused, to approach the TCC at Khayelitsha Hospital. This centre is one of the 55 facilities in the Western Cape that provides care and treatment to women and children that have suffered abuse. Other facilities like Groote Schuur-, Helderberg-, Victoria-, George-, Mossel Bay- and Otto du Plessis Hospital are some of the facilities that have these TCCs.
Thuthuzela Care Centres were created as one-stop facilities that operate as a critical part of South Africa’s anti-rape strategy. They are aimed at reducing secondary trauma for the victim, improve conviction rates of perpetrators and reduce the time it takes to finalise criminal cases.
These centres provide an all service area, a safe conducive environment for traumatised persons, where comprehensive services such as medical examination, counselling, statement taking and investigations are provided to survivors of sexual assaults and rape. TCCs are staffed by an on-site coordinator, a nursing practitioner, a medical doctor, a social worker, a dedicated case monitor and a victim assistance officer as well as a police officer who are on call 24 hours a day. This means that survivors of sexual assault can also be assisted quicker and under one roof.
Western Cape Minister of Health, Theuns Botha, says: “The 16-days of activism for no violence against women and children campaign runs from 25 November to 10 December. It is important that our citizens are aware of the places where they can get help. It is also critical that everyone takes responsibility for stopping the abuse of women and children. This is one of the messages I continuously drive during my engagements with communities: our men must honour and respect our women. They must take care of them and treat them with dignity and respect.”
The contact number for the Thutuzela Care Centre at Khayelitsha hospital is: 021 360 4570 / 021 360 4704. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sithembiso Magubane
Principal Communications Officer: District Health Services and Programmes
Western Cape Government: Health
Tel: 021 483 2904
E-mail: Sithembiso.Magubane@westerncape.gov.za