LIST OF ACRONYMS
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.14 CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES TO CURB MALE SEXUAL ASSAULT IN CORRECTIONAL CENTRES
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Detention International also conducted workshops on sexual violence for the ombudsperson, secured assistants for survivors and identified policies and practices that contribute to the problem (Just Detention International, 2009).
2.13.7 The Sonke Gender Justice and sexual assault in the correctional centre
The Sonke Gender Justice which is a non-profit organisation aimed at creating gender equality and change, prevent gender-based violence and reduce the spread of HIV ensures that sentences of offenders do not include threats to correctional centres’ health and sexual integrity. Sonke also serve as an intervention in preventing and curbing male sexual assault in correctional centre in South Africa, it has programmes in correctional centre aimed at reducing violence i.e.
‘men can’ and ‘brothers for life’ programmes where its teams offer training sessions that provide and promote education and health-seeking behaviours among offenders. Friedman and Fleder (2012) reported that Sonke’s work in correctional centre began as an extension of its broader efforts to mobilise men and boys against gender-based violence in South Africa.
Friedman and Fleder (2012) argue that “the trainings encourage participants who become peer educators upon completion of the course, to act as leaders within Correctional facilities.”
Sonke’s interventions through programmes in Correctional Centres is a good attempt towards preventing sexual assault amongst offender as it deals directly on a personal level with offenders. The Correctional System need to utilise and support such organisations for a goal of preventing and curbing male sexual assault in the South African Correctional centres.
Although all the above-mentioned reduction strategies do have certain drawbacks, they are worth exploring with an aim to reduce the sexual assault and rape of male offenders in correctional centres. The following discussion is on challenges in implementing the above- mentioned strategies to curb male sexual assault.
2.14 CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES TO CURB MALE
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Bezuidenhout (2014) argue that consensual sex between inmates is prohibited by the South African Correctional Services and thus offenders hesitate to report on such activities.
Therefore, this makes the Correctional system not to see the extent of the problem and hence failing to implement strategies of curbing male sexual assault in the South African correctional centres. Another issue that may result in the Correctional system having challenges in implementing the strategies to curb male sexual assault in correctional centre is that the Department of Correction does not take seriously the issue of sexual assault in correctional centre. Stemple (2008:610) mention that “to date; the Department of Correctional Services does not record rape incidents. Those reported are collapsed under the general category of
‘assault’.” There will be challenges towards curbing male sexual assault if the Department does not consider correctional centre rape or sexual assault.
Overcrowding in South African correctional centres is still an issue that pose a challenge towards curbing male sexual assault in correctional centres. Sexual assaults happen easily in overcrowded correctional centres. Shayi (2008) states that most research shows that overcrowding is a contributing factor to men seeking sexual gratification with other men.
Therefore, while South African correctional centres face this issue it is a challenge for the Correctional services and government to curb male sexual assault. Jali (2006:43), as cited in Shayi (2008:52), asserts “while correctional centre authorities were aware that sexual abuse was taking place in jails, the biggest problem they faced was overcrowding. Our first priority is to reduce correctional centres numbers so that we can deal effectively with other challenges.”
Another challenge that South Africa face towards curbing male sexual assault in correctional centres is the issue of legislation regarding male sexual assault/violence. South Africa does not have legislations specifically designed to tackle the issue of male sexual assault in correctional centres; hence the reason why offender victims do not report incidents of male sexual assault and this results in continued widespread of male sexual assault in correctional centres (Shayi, 2008). In the USA for instance, there is a legislation, the correctional centre rape elimination Act (PREA) of 2003, aimed at addressing and eliminating correctional centre sexual violence.
The Act recognises that male sexual violence is a problem that needs to be addressed. Zweig et al. (2006:1) identify the main aims of the PREA as; to understand the nature and extent of correctional centre sexual violence problem and how it is addressed in facilities across the United States; to establish a zero-tolerance standard for correctional centre sexual violence in the U.S correctional centre system; to hold correctional centre officials accountable when
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failing to protect inmates by detecting, preventing, and punishing correctional centre sexual violence.
This legislation shows that the United State recognise the problem and aim to curb the issue.
South Africa still faces challenges towards curbing sexual assault in correctional centres because there is no specific legislation like that of the U.S correctional system.
Lack of interdisciplinary collaboration within the South African Correctional system is a challenge towards implanting strategies to curb male sexual assault in correctional centre. The Correctional system in South Africa should work in collaboration with other disciplines and emphasise multidisciplinary teams towards the goal of curbing male sexual assault in correctional centre. Lack of collaboration makes sexual assault to be on the rife. Zweig et al.
(2006:69) assert, “as we conducted phone interviews with Department of Corrections’ (DOCs) administrators and case study sites visits, we learned to address correctional centre sexual assault often were not implemented by DOCs alone. Rather, as well as outside legal system agencies, medical providers, and sexual assault victim service and advocacy groups.”
The South African Correctional system must put emphasis on collaborations with outside legal systems, civil organisations, Department of health, education, social development, advocacy groups or victim services groups if strategies to curb male sexual assault in correctional centres has to be a success (Booyens & Bezuidenhout 2014). There is no comprehensive strategy to curb male sexual assault in South African Correctional centres because there is lack of collaboration of different disciplines and other stakeholders involved with inmates on addressing this issue (Booyens & Bezuidenhout, 2014).
56 2.15 CONCLUSION
This chapter provided a broad picture of male sexual assault in correctional facilities. It was evident in this chapter that male sexual assault is growing and is receiving more attention.
However, there appear to be limited studies on the perceptions and understanding of correctional officials regarding male sexual assault in correctional centres. In this chapter, it was found that male sexual assault is being acknowledged in South Africa, but despite existing laws governing correctional centres and the prohibition of male sexual assault is still being practiced. It was observed that correctional officials play an important role in preventing or perpetuating the act of male sexual assault, mainly due to the lack of clear understanding of male sexual assault. Culture, background of the officials as well as working conditions under which officials work can influence their perceptions and understanding of male sexual assault in correctional centres. The following discussion pertains to the theoretical framework of the study.
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