Women and men as victims of Domestic Violence: Raising awareness amongst offenders in correctional centres

Our Department’s KRM 710 (Crime and Criminal Justice) module has a community engagement component.  The focus of this year’s project was to empower female inmates of the Atteridgeville Gender Responsive correctional centre by raising awareness of the impact of domestic violence (DV) on female and male victims and remedies that are available for victims.  Seeing that the results of the research project that our students undertook this year indicated that a noteworthy proportion of female offenders were victims of DV as adults and/or during their childhood, it is essential that awareness is raised regarding the topic amongst this vulnerable population.  In addition, male inmates of the Baviaanspoort Medium correctional centre were also included to raise awareness of the impact of DV on male and female victims and remedies that are available for these victims.

On 22 October, our 31 Criminology Honours students had their first community engagement project at the Atteridgeville Gender Responsive Correctional Centre.  From the moment that we arrived we felt so welcome and humbled by all the efforts made by the Head of the Correctional Centre, Adv Patricia Masinga-Thobejane and her team.  The hall was beautifully decorated and all the audio-visual equipment was set up and ready for our presentation.  We were very grateful that so many women in conflict with the law (approximately 200 women) voluntarily attended our presentation focusing on female and male victims of domestic violence. 

They opened the event with praise and worship songs and prayers and I had goosebumps throughout the event.  Adv Patricia also delivered a Powerpoint presentation focussing on the centre and all its achievements. One of the women in conflict with the law was the MC for the day and she did such an amazing job.  We were also blessed to hear the testimony of two women who were victims of domestic violence and subsequently committed an offence which led to their incarceration.   

On 25 October, we had our second community engagement project at the Baviaanspoort Medium correctional centre.  Mr Marius van der Merwe and Rev Khoza made us feel so welcome. Despite the sweltering heat, Mr van der Merwe facilitated the most interesting tour of the centre and also gave the students the opportunity to pose questions to the psychologist and medical professional working with the inmates. Rev Khoza welcomed us in the church and the offenders assisted us to set up our equipment.  We were very grateful for the men who voluntarily attended our presentation and asked so many questions.  They also opened the event with praise and worship songs and prayer. My colleagues, Ms Harriét Klopper and Dr Karen Booyens, the students, and I can attest to the fact that 22 and 25 October 2024 will be etched in our memories forever. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Department of Correctional Services for allowing us the opportunity to visit two of their correctional centres and would like to acknowledge the fact that they not only incarcerate individuals who have come into conflict with the law, but they also try to rehabilitate them and change their life trajectories.