The importance of the rape victim statement in the investigation of stranger rape

Abstract

In this research, the victim’s statement was evaluated to determine what that entails, in the context of the investigation of stranger rape. The question addressed, was: What are the most important aspects to capture, when obtaining the statement of a stranger rape victim? Stranger rape was defined and discussed, along with the rights of the stranger rape victim, when reporting a rape at the Client Service Centre (CSC), and best practice in terms of investigating stranger rape. For the purpose of this research, the researcher employed a qualitative method, with a case study design, to explore the importance of the rape victim’s statement in the investigation of stranger rape. To that end, the researcher collected data through semi-structured interviews and a literature review. The researcher explored the activities of a small group of Motherwell Visible Policing (VISPOL) members (Sample A, eight members) and Motherwell Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) members (Sample B, five members), to inform the research problem. Both samples were interviewed using the same interview schedule, but there was a slight difference in certain questions, since both groups were responsible for taking the statement of the victims of stranger rape, and this was done in different phases. The VISPOL members were the first to receive and obtain said victim statement, while the FCS investigators had to take over, and carry on with, the investigation, based on the information contained in the statement VISPOL had obtained during the reporting phase at the CSC. Ultimately, the research identified the most important aspects to capture, in the statement of a victim of stranger rape.

Die slagoffer se verklaring is tydens hierdie navorsing geëvalueer om te bepaal wat dit binne die konteks van die ondersoek na vreemdelingverkragting behels. Die vraag waarop hier antwoorde gesoek word, is wat die belangrikste aspekte is wat vasgelê moet word wanneer ’n verklaring by ’n slagoffer van vreemdelingverkragting afgeneem word. Vreemdelingverkragting word gedefinieer en bespreek en so ook die regte van die vreemdelingverkragtingslagoffer tydens die aanmelding van ’n verkragting by die Kliëntedienssentrum. Daar is ook gekyk na beste praktyk ten opsigte van die ondersoek na vreemdelingverkragting. Vir doeleindes van hierdie navorsing het die navorser ’n kwalitatiewe metode met ’n gevallestudie-ontwerp gebruik om die belangrikheid van die verkragtingslagoffer se verklaring in die ondersoek na die verkragting na te vors. Met hierdie doel het die navorser met behulp van semigestruktureerde onderhoude en ’n literatuurstudie data versamel. Die navorser het die aktiwiteite van ’n klein groep lede uit Motherwell Sigbare Polisiëring (VISPOL) (Steekproef A, agt lede) en Motherwell Gesinsgeweld, Kinderbeskerming en Seksuele Oortredings (FCS) (Steekproef B, vyf lede) ondersoek om die navorsingsprobleem toe te lig. Dieselfde onderhoudskedule is vir die onderhoude van beide steekproewe gebruik, maar sekere vrae het effens verskil aangesien beide groepe verantwoordelik is vir die afneem van verklarings by slagoffers van vreemdelingverkragting, maar wel tydens verskillende fases. VISPOL-lede is die eerste om die slagoffer se genoemde verklaring verkry, onderwyl die FCS-ondersoekers oorneem en die ondersoek verder voer gebaseer op die inligting vervat in die verklaring wat VISPOL tydens die aanmeldingsfase van die Kliëntedienssentrum bekom het. Die navorsing het uiteindelik die belangrikste aspekte geïdentifiseer wat in die verklaring van ’n vreemdelingverkragtingslagoffer vasgelê moet word.

Kolu phando, kuphononongwa ubungqina bomntu olixhoba lokudlwengulwa ukuze kufunyaniswe ukuba buthetha ukuthini xa kuphandwa isiganeko sokudlwengulwa ngumntu ongamaziyo. Kubuzwe umbuzo othi: Yeyiphi imiba ephambili ekufaneleke ukuba ibuzwe xa kumanyelwa kuschicilelwa ubungqina kwixhoba lokudlwengulwa ngumntu ongamaziyo? Kuye kwanatywa kwaxoxwa kabanzi ngokudlwengulwa ngumntu ongamaziyo kunye namalungelo exhoba lokudlwengulwa, xa umntu exela ngesiganeko sokudlwengulwa ngumntu ongamaziyo kwi-ofisi enceda abantu ebizwa Client Service Centre (CSC), kunye nohlobo olulungileyo nenkqubo efanelekileyo emayilandelwe xa kuphandwa ngesiganeko sokudlwengulwa ngumntu ongamaziyo. Kolu phando, umphandi usebenzise uhlobo lokuzathuza nokusebenzisa isifundo esingumzekelo weziganeko ezenzekileyo ukuze aqwalaselise kakuhle ukubaluleka kobungqina obunikwe lixhoba lokudlwengulwa xa ephanda eso siganeko sokudlwengulwa ngumntu ongamaziyo. Umphandi uye waqhubeka waqokelela ulwazi ngokuqhuba udliwano-ndlebe olungalungiselelwanga ngokupheleleyo nokuqwalaselisa okubhaliweyo ezincwadini. Umphandi uye waqwalaselisa imisebenzi yamalungu eqela elithile elincinane elibizwa ngokuba yiMotherwell Visible Policing (VISPOL) kwisithili saseMotherwell, amalungu e-ofisi ebizwa Motherwell Family Violence (Isampulu ‘A’, amalungu asibhozo) kunye namanye amalungu aphuma kwi-ofisi ebizwa Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) (Isampulu ‘B’, amalungu amahlanu). Kwabanjwa udliwano-ndlebe, kusetyenziswa uluhlu lwemibuzo efanayo kuzo zombini iisampulu, kodwa imibuzo ethile yaguqulwa kancinane ngenxa yokuba omabini la maqela ayenoxanduva lokuthatha nokushicelela ubungqina bamaxhoba kwaye oku kwenziwa ngamaxesha ahlukileyo. Kuye kwaqala amalungu eVISPOL ukuthatha ubungqina baze bona badlulisela iintambo zophando kumalungu eFCS ukuze aphande kabanzi ngolwazi abalufumene xa bekuxelwa ngesiganeko sokudlwengulwa kwiofisi yeCSC. Ekugqibeleni uphando luye lwayichonga imiba ebalulekileyo ekufaneleke ukuba iqwalaseliswe kakuhle xa kumanyelwa kushicilelwa ubungqina bexhoba lokudlwengulwa ngumntu ongamaziyo.