GBV victim slams eight-year wait for justice as case drags
GBV victim says she is just a statistic after the case dragged on for eight years, the state closed its arguments two years ago, no progress.
A woman from Pretoria has expressed her despair at the eight-year wait for justice following a gender-based violence (GBV) incident. Izette Venter claims that the state, the magistrate, and everyone else involved in her case have failed to provide any progress, reducing her to just another statistic. Venter's ordeal began when her former boyfriend attacked her, leading to her being hospitalized and subsequently missing work for six weeks.
Despite the state closing its case in January of the previous year, the defense has yet to begin presenting its arguments, leaving the victim feeling disheartened. Venter also noted that items went missing from the case file, and procedures had to be repeated, adding to the delays. Louise Wolmarans, another GBV victim, recounted her own traumatic experience from 2021 when her ex-boyfriend attacked her, leading to her arrest and an attempted suicide.
Even after laying charges of grievous bodily harm and attempted murder against her ex, her case has only seen two court appearances. Experts warn that GBV in South Africa remains a significant issue, with many cases remaining unsolved and the response from authorities being too slow and fragmented.
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