A lawyer, reacting to the spate of violent attacks against women, is proposing civil litigation for survivors to make abusers pay with their wallets, reports TimesLIVE.

Tracey Lomax-Hixton says in the court process women 'end up being witnesses in a case where rights are centred on the accused'. Prompted by the case of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana, who was murdered, allegedly by a post office worker, Lomax-Hixton called on other lawyers to join her in representing women for free, to help them claim damages from their abusers.

'I hereby offer my services, pro bono, to women and children who have been raped or assaulted. Forget the criminal courts ... let's hit them where it hurts. I challenge all lawyers to do the same. Flood the courts with damages claims. If you're a plaintiff, I act for you. The state doesn't do that. In a criminal trial, you're just a witness. In a damages action, you control the state of play. Make them pay. And if they can't, take their possessions. Take their cars ... And the burden of proof is "balance of probabilities, not beyond reasonable doubt".'

She said she was proposing the move as alternative to criminal proceedings.

'It is to provide them with powerful advocates to protect them so that they aren't bullied under cross-examination. How do we create parallel processes and centre them on survivor rights? (The goal is) to empower her and let her know that they have won (the battle against their rapist).'

Lomax-Hixton said she doesn't want to detract from the role of the NPA nor its efforts to ensure the correct sentence is handed to offenders. Rather, she would like to help ensure that women are able to take control over their cases and be protected by their own representation.

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Sexual violence and the killing of women by men has reached crisis proportions, Minister of Women Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said during a debate in the National Assembly yesterday.

Nkoana-Mashabane said it was shocking that ‘a person who is employed and paid by the state’ had allegedly raped and killed Mrwetyana.

According to TimesLIVE, Nkoana-Mashabane said it was also concerning that at least 30 women were killed during Women's Month in August, which is meant to honour and recognise the role played by women in the liberation struggle and the general development of SA.

‘It's a national crisis. It's no longer just another shameful act that we read about. Where are safe spaces for women in this country? Do we still have them?’ she asked.

‘If a home is not a space for a young girl, where else will be her sanctuary? We must invest in prevention programmes where love and respect is included and inculcated in our children. Unfortunately, most of our homes are war zones and domestic violence has reached endemic proportions, and we urgently need interventions in many families,’ she said.

ANC MP and chairperson of Parliament's multi-party women's caucus, Nkhensani Bilankulu, said government needed to declare a state of emergency to deal with the scourge of violence against women.

Full TimesLIVE report