Cape Town: Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) of Cape Town has recorded several domestic violence cases that has sharply increased over the past four years and showing more than 100% spike.
Reportedly, more than 12 months for the period between July and June, the PECC recorded 214,437 incidents for assistance, including medical incidents, noise complaints, criminal acts, motor vehicle accidents and interpersonal violence.
The prank calls, medical incidents and noise complaints were declined, whereas the domestic violence incidents and cases of assault and motor vehicle accidents have increased.
The centre recorded atleast 2,025 domestic violence incidents during the 2020-21 period. By 2023-24 the number has increased to 4,378.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for safety and security – Alderman JP Smith said that it is anyone’s guess whether these statistics represent a massive increase in the rate of domestic violence, or if more people are affected by it are speaking up and reaching out.
He mentioned that either way, it is clear that domestic violence and interpersonal violence in general remains one of the biggest challenges that they face now. The emergency call takers do their level best to assess a situation, by trying to get as much information from the caller as possible.
Smith reminds the public that the questions during an emergency call, which may seem trivial in a time of crisis of desperation, serve a purpose in understanding the threat level and the condition of a patient or determining the exact location.
He also added, “Given the growth in domestic violence calls to our emergency centre, I will propose engagements with NGOs and the enforcement services, to determine what more, if anything, the call takers can do, as that first line of contact, to help ensure the positive outcomes for the person on the other end of the line.”
As per the sources, the PECC was established in August 2000 and remains the only municipal emergency call centre in South Africa. The services are available 24/7 days a week, and the centre accommodates all three official languages that are spoken in the Western Cape.
Apart from dispatching the City Enforcement and Emergency Services, the centre can also distribute the incidents to EMS and SAPS.
Notably, the call-takers are well trained in dealing with direct calls for help using the Emergency Policing Incident Command (EPIC) system and basic first-aid and fire safety management.