Police visibility: Evaluating the safety perceptions of gender-based violence secondary victims in close proximity to police stations in Soweto Township
Safety is a basic human need, and there are various social factors that influence safety perceptions (Eller & Frey, 2019: 43). Police visibility is one of many interventions that facilitate for the satisfaction of human safety needs. Police presence in neighbourhoods predicted trust in police, and more positive views about officer behavior, which in turn was associated with collective efficiency in communities (Yesberg, Brunton-Smith & Bradford, 2023: 712). Collective efficiency is a combination of social cohesion and trust among neigbourhood residents, along with shared expectations for social control (Yesberg, Brunton-Smith & Bradford, 2023: 714). Collective efficacy is considered to be an attribute of neigbourhoods rather than of individuals. Collective efficiency is considered to be an important factor explaining why some neigbourhoods with predisposing structural characteristics, such as concentrated disadvantage, ethnic heterogeneity and residential mobility, experience high crime rates, whereas others do not (Yesberg, Brunton-Smith & Bradford, 2023: 714). Despite police visibility the underreporting of gender-based violence (GBV) is alarming (Monama, 2022; Mahlori, Byrne & Mabude, 2018:1). Victims’ communication preferences can provide insight on the underreporting of crime (Adamovic, Potgieter & Mearns, 2012:1). This study focused on police visibility. The objective was to explore the safety perceptions of the secondary victims of GBV residing and working in proximity of police stations, known as Community Service Centers (CSCs). Furthermore the study sought to determine victim’s preferred method of reporting GBV.
The Unisa Research Ethics Committee (REC) approved the study. Ethical considerations were applied in addition to the guidelines of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) (No. 4 of 2013). Purposive sampling technique was used to select forty-five (45) secondary victims of GBV who reside within two kilometers of any one of the nine community service centers (CSCs) of Soweto Township. Five (5) participants were identified from each CSC, and the sample was primarily indigenous African homogenous. Each participant was administered an interview schedule to document their preferred method of reporting GBV to the CSC as well as their safety perceptions of the. The theoretical assumption of social proximity effect was applied to interpret participants’ opinions and preferences. Thematic content analysis was conducted using the Atlas ti.
Results also showed that most participants preferred using digital communication to rather that face-to-face communication to report GBV. Furthermore, most participants did not feel safe despite residing within two (2) kilometers of the nearest CSC. The study recommended firstly, that the CSCs in Soweto should consider digitizing statement taking processes to support GBV reporting. Secondly, reimagine police visibility strategies to address safety needs of victims.
