Anti-GBV Directorate will improve services offered to violence victims

The Anti-GBV Directorate was officially opened on Monday during the launch of the anti-GBV week. The new facility is situated at the Police Headquarters in Kacyiru. It is spacious, organized and has different offices for handling different issues related to Gender Based Violence (GBV). The Police Spokesperson, Theos Badege stated that the new facility will be specifically handling GBV and child protection cases. “With the new facility, we will provide services such as intervening and rescuing GBV and child abuse victims, counseling, investigating and following up on perpetrators of GBV and child abuse,” Badege said. The police spokesperson further noted that the highest cases reported are child defilement. For that reason, the new facility has a department dedicated to child protection as well. Moses Muligo, the Director of the GBV Directorate, said that the new facility will improve and enhance services given to GBV victims. “Previously, our services weren’t as good as the ones that will be offered within the new facility. This was because the victims didn’t even have enough privacy since we sometimes had two cases handled at the same time,” Muligo said. “There were a few trained personnel who handled GBV cases but today we not only have a new facility but more people who are well equipped with the skills to handle violence cases,” he added. The Anti-GBV Directorate intends to enable affected women and children get oriented to other health service providers such as hospitals and health centres. They will also continue to work hand in hand with Isange One Stop Center—a place where victims of rape are counseled. Belline Mukamana, the Head of the Anti-GBV and Child Protection Directorate, said that the new facility will help victims to feel free to express themselves and speak about their experiences. “There is enough privacy here. This facility will only be handling GBV cases and children who have been abused. We have an interviewing room that has a state of the art mirror through which a victim can see and easily identify the assailants without being seen,” Mukamana said. Unlike before where GBV victims were taken to the CID department that handles several other criminals, which was uncomfortable, they can now enjoy complete privacy. With such a facility in place, expectations are high that sufferers of violence will be given the best care possible without getting victimized further due to the lack of privacy. m.kaitesi@yahoo.com