Simphiwe Dana’s Ex-fiancé has opened a countercase of assault and crimen injuria against her. On Monday she was informed by the police that her assailant had, in turn, opened a charge against her.
“On the 27th of December, 2019, Ms. Simphiwe Dana laid charges of assault and intimidation against her then-fiancé at the Norwood Police Station and posted details of the assault on her social media platform. These actions on her part were prompted by him physically attacking her, and subsequently threatening her against pressing charges,” reads a statement issued by The Wise Collective.
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It further reads that on Monday, 13th of January 2020, Simphiwe Dana was informed by the police that her assailant had, in turn, opened a charge of assault and crimen injuria against her.
“She was informed that in light of this development, she would be arrested and imprisoned, as per procedure where such charges are laid. In response, she handed herself into the Norwood Police Station on the 16th of January and was incarcerated in the holding cells.
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“The prosecutor has since declined to prosecute the case against Ms. Dana, dismissing the flimsy charges and immediately ordered her release. She will continue the case against her assailant,” reads the statement.
“My experience has been a disturbing revelation about how the criminal justice system can be manipulated to re-victimize and harass victims of intimate-partner abuse. There appears to be an increasing trend of abusers laying counter-assault charges against their victims as an intimidation tactic. The cell I was held in bears testament to this – it was full of domestic violence survivors whose partners had laid counter-charges. This, as the abusers well know, has the immediate effect of bullying victims into dropping the charges against their assailants,” says Simphiwe Dana.
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Simphiwe says that the swiftness with which the police respond to the counter-charges by imprisoning the survivor serves to perpetuate inequality and re-victimization.
“I have to wonder why the justice system does not allow one process to conclude before addressing the counter-charges. In no way am I suggesting that counter-charges should not be fully investigated – but I do believe that re-examination of how they are actioned is overdue. As thing stand, pressing counter-charges is increasingly being used as a weapon to intimidate women into dropping charges,” says Simphiwe Dana.
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She says that in a society where violence against women is such a scourge, surely this merits some kind of review.
“For my part, I will continue with my case and am committed to seeing it through to the end,” she concludes.
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