#16Days16Fails - Raising Awareness of Systemic Failures Day: 4/16

#16Days16Fails is a collection of stories by women from around the country who have accessed systems designed to deal with GBV and experienced systemic failures and secondary victimization. We'll be posting a story a day for the next 16 days to shine the spotlight and raise awareness on systemic failures to adequately assist victims of violence.

STORY 4/16: MAINTENANCE COURT 

“My maintenance journey started in 2006. I got a court order for maintenance to be paid. This was the easy part. By 2007 the defendant had defaulted and here’s where the trouble started.  

In total from 2007 - 2020, I have lost close on 260 days of work. A FULL YEAR OF INCOME! I have had to educate maintenance officers and prosecutors on the Maintenance Act. I have had to tolerate being told I am greedy, will never see a cent, etc. 

I am now on the third criminal case against the defendant, of which the state has again failed to obtain all evidence. The courts (Wynberg, Pretoria, Atlantis, Cape Town) have all failed to uphold the Maintenance Act. I have to get court managers, circuit managers and the National Prosecuting Authority involved to get answers.

There is no will from the courts to prosecute as per the act. The defendant can arrive at any time for court, it is accepted. No documents from the defendant, even after many requests from maintenance officers and magistrates, yet no consequences. Children's rights have been forgotten and violated. Financial abuse is the silent abuse that needs to be exposed.” - ANONYMOUS

#16Days16Fails is an initiative by Lenina Rassool and Felicity Guest to shine the spotlight on systemic failures in cases of violence against women and children. All the stories are real experiences by women who have interacted with systems designed to address issues of GBV and child protection.  #16daysofactivism #justice #GBV #EndViolenceAgainstWomen #EndViolenceAgainstChildren