REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA COMBINED SECOND PERIODIC REPORT UNDER THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLE`S RIGHTS and INITIAL REPORT UNDER THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA Table 7: Activities of TCCs 2008/2009- 2011/2012 financial years Year 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 Matters reported at TCC site 10 213 13 756 20 496 28 557 Cases received at court Cases finalized % of conviction rate 2 912 596 61.2 6410 1 088 64.45 9 716 1 761 63 10 949 2 180 60.7 153. Since these centres were established, the process of reporting and prosecuting sexual offences has improved remarkably. Secondary trauma to victims of sexual offences has also been reduced significantly. In 2011, the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, recognized the Thuthuzela model as a world best practice model in the field of gender violence management and response. 154. In the 2013/14 financial year, at the 51 TCCs providing services, a total number of 30 706 matters were reported of which 2769 are trafficking, domestic violence or Children’s Act matters; the remaining number of 27 947 were sexual offences related. 155. For the same financial year, the National Prosecuting Authority produced an average conviction rate for TCC-cases of 65.9 percent, which was the best conviction rate over a period of 5 years. Of the 2357 cases finalised with a verdict, 1554 (65.9%) resulted in a conviction. This is also an improvement of 13.3% compared to the 2012/13 financial year. During the 2013/14 financial year the TCC-cases per accused and per offence, which resulted in convictions included amongst others 151 sentences of life imprisonment, 132 sentences of 20-25 years imprisonment and 455 sentences of between 10 and less than 20 years imprisonment. 156. Thuthuzela’s integrated approach to rape care is one of respect, comfort, restoring dignity and ensuring justice for victims of sexual violence. The management of TCC-model and roll-out falls within the responsibility of the NPA. The success of it is based upon effective and efficient stakeholder cooperation such as between the Departments of Justice, Health, Education, Treasury, Correctional Services, Social Development, the SAPS and designated civil society organisations. 157. The TCC-model is specifically focussed on being victim-friendly and court directed with prosecutor-guided investigations and stakeholder cooperation. The ultimate goal is to minimise secondary victimization, reduce the cycle period for the finalisation of cases and to increase the conviction rates of these cases. When reporting a crime, the victim is removed from an environment such as a police station, to a more victim-friendly environment before being transported by police or an ambulance to the Thuthuzela Care Centre at the hospital. The person also receives crisis counseling. If the medical examination happens within 72 hours of the incident, post-exposure prophylaxis is given. The investigating officer on call at the center will take the person’s statement. The person will receive appropriate medication and is given a follow-up date for further medical treatment, before being transported home or a place of safety. A referral letter will be given or an appointment made for long-term counseling. 178