Bogus victims increasingly ‘cry rape’ to obtain free treatment from clinics against possible HIV/Aids infection, Northern Cape health MEC Dipuo Peters said on Tuesday.
She was speaking at the opening of a new care centre at the Galeshewe day hospital in Kimberley for the victims of sexual abuse. The centre offers victims free post-exposure prophylactic treatment to prevent HIV/Aids infection. This follows a national government decision taken in April 2002.
”Already we have serial ‘victims’ who serially withdraw charges (against their alleged rapists),” Peters said.
She was referring to women who falsely reported being raped because they had had unprotected sex and needed the free government treatment.
Peters said they should be charged for wasting government’s valuable resources and time. It cost government an estimated R1400, including the prophylactic drugs, to treat a single rape victim, the MEC said.
She called for legislation to enable punishment of bogus rape victims. Northern Cape director of public prosecutions Lungi Mahlati said: ”These women put the whole criminal justice system into disrepute. We have to account for cases not prosecuted successfully.
”The high number of rape charge withdrawals is a cause of concern for us.”
The new Thuthuzela Care Centre is the fifth of its kind in the country. Cellphone company Vodacom has sponsored its development, acting in partnership with the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
Thuthuzela centres offer survivors of sexual assault a one-stop service. They are based at government hospitals, with an investigating officer, forensic nurse, doctor, social worker and prosecutor on standby around the clock. – Sapa