BarTalk October 2000
Volume 12, Number 5

This summer, experts from BC traveled to South Africa to share BC’s experience in developing integrated approaches to training on issues related to domestic violence. The recently introduced civil code and training on domestic violence are intended to enhance the ability of the South African justice system to deal with the country’s major problem of domestic violence and sexual assault. A 1998 study of rape in South Africa saw only 45 per cent of 49,280 reported rape cases brought to court and, of those cases, only a 19 per cent conviction rate. The study indicated that the meager rate of conviction was directly related to police investigation skills and training of prosecutors.

Project South Africa was a joint effort between the Law Courts Education Society of BC and the Office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions and Tshwaranang (a non-profit organization in South Africa). The project has developed a skills and training package aimed at sharing Canadian experience and expertise in addressing the cycle of domestic violence. The CIDA funded initiative included integrated training workshops involving South African police, prosecutors, magistrates, and NGO workers – all participating on a voluntary basis.

The workshops were developed by Alison MacPhail, from the Ministry of the Attorney General, and Maureen Maloney, from the Institute for Dispute Resolution at the University of Victoria on the Canadian side, and trainers from South Africa. Workshop participants responded enthusiastically to the joint Canada-South Africa training workshop, and additional skills-training and capacity-building programs are expected to be the focus of future projects between BC and South Africa.

This article was published in the October 2000 issue of BarTalk and is subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2005, all rights reserved.