MISSING PIECE IN THE PUZZLE

The author contends that the health sector is a critical but underutilised component in implementing the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) in South Africa. While the DVA outlines duties for law enforcement, it lacks parallel requirements for health providers, leading to fragmented service provision and the revictimisation of women. The paper highlights that health facilities are often the first point of contact for victims—with 53% to 92% of abused women seeking medical help—yet practitioners often fail to screen for abuse due to lack of training, cultural barriers, or a belief that domestic violence is solely a legal issue. To address this, the author recommends amending the DVA to include legal obligations for health providers, implementing standardised screening guidelines, and training medical personnel in documentation and court testimony.

• The implementation of the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) is limited because the law establishes legal duties for law enforcement but does not mandate similar responsibilities for health sector personnel who treat victims of domestic violence.
• Health care facilities serve as a primary point of contact for victims of domestic abuse, with research from the Institute for Security Studies indicating that 53% of women who experienced physical domestic abuse sought medical assistance, while other provincial studies show rates as high as 92%.
• There is a significant gap between the prevalence of domestic violence and the rate at which health practitioners identify it; in a study of 1,050 South African women in health centres, 22% reported domestic violence, but practitioners suspected abuse in only 17% of cases and raised the issue in only 12%.
• Medical practitioners in South Africa often lack the training and perception of their role in the legal process; a 2001 study found only 5% of 402 doctors believed their major role was to examine and document suspected battering cases, and another study showed only 10% of doctors had received training on domestic violence.
• Barriers to screening for domestic violence include age and cultural differences between patient and provider, language barriers, lack of time, fear of offending the patient, and a perceived inability to change the victim's situation.
• The author recommends several specific measures to improve the health sector's role: placing a legal duty to assist under the DVA, implementing a national screening policy and abuse management framework, training practitioners in screening and documentation, and preparing medical personnel to serve as expert witnesses in court.

APA

Doolan, K. (2005). MISSING PIECE IN THE PUZZLE. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2005-sacq-no-12/missing-piece-in-the-puzzle

Chicago

Doolan, Katherine. MISSING PIECE IN THE PUZZLE. Institute for Security Studies, 2005. https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2005-sacq-no-12/missing-piece-in-the-puzzle.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Doolan |first1=Katherine |title=MISSING PIECE IN THE PUZZLE |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=1 June 2005 |url=https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2005-sacq-no-12/missing-piece-in-the-puzzle |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{doolan2005missing, author = {Doolan, Katherine}, title = {{MISSING PIECE IN THE PUZZLE}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2005}, month = jun, url = {https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2005-sacq-no-12/missing-piece-in-the-puzzle}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }