CMY3705 Assignment 1 (DETAILED ANSWERS) Semester 2 2026 - DISTINCTION GUARANTEED

CMY3705 Assignment 1 (DETAILED ANSWERS) Semester 2 2026 - DISTINCTION GUARANTEED - DISTINCTION GUARANTEED - DISTINCTION GUARANTEED Answers, guidelines, workings and references.. In preparation for this assessment, take note of the guidelines below before writing the essay. Read the entire document before attempting the assessment. The guidelines are also included in Tutorial Letter 101/2026. Marks will be forfeited if the essay is not presented according to the guidelines. Students are expected to follow the required structure and technical layout. Guidelines: • Structure: o Title page o Table of contents o Introduction o Definition of key concept(s) o Headings and subheadings of the topic (number your headings and subheadings) o Conclusion o List of references Research Focus: How does the emotional readiness of victims affect the quality and effectiveness of victim impact statements in South African sentencing processes? Your discussion must include • Victim impact and harm • Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Victim’s agency and meaning making The effective use of VIS depends on clear guidance, consistent support for victims, and trauma-informed practice, because poorly managed processes can intensify distress through repeated retelling, insensitive engagement, delays, and weak communication. A coherent analysis of victim impact statement (VIS) also requires attention to victim involvement beyond sentencing, including the practical realities of post-sentencing participation such as parole-related processes, where inconsistent notification and limited preparation can undermine meaningful participation and contribute to secondary victimisation through the very institutions expected to provide justice and protection. Victim impact and harm • Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Your answer should explain how cultural practices may become harmful, how victims are affected, and how victim-centred responses can protect vulnerable children while recognising the broader social and cultural context in which these practices occur. Victim’s agency and meaning-makingHow are victim impact statements (VIS) implemented in South African sentencing processes, and to what extent do current practices enable victims and families to communicate the full impact of crime in a manner that meaningfully informs sentencing outcomes 1.1 Research Focus: How do power imbalances between victims and legal professionals affect the use and impact of victim impact statements in South African courts? Your discussion must include • Victim impact and harm • Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Victim’s agency and meaning making Research Focus: To what extent do language barriers influence the ability of victims to present meaningful victim impact statements in South Africa? Your discussion must include • Victim impact and harm • Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Victim’s agency and meaning making Research Focus: How does the emotional readiness of victims affect the quality and effectiveness of victim impact statements in South African sentencing processes? Your discussion must include • Victim impact and harm • A definition and explanation of harmful cultural practices • Children as vulnerable victims • Ukuthwala and the victimisation of girls • Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and its physical, psychological and human rights implications • Circumcision of boys under the age of 16 and the risks linked to unsafe initiation practices • The tension between cultural rights and the protection of children from harm • The role of victim empowerment, support, prevention and reporting mechanisms Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Victim’s agency and meaning making 4.1 Research Focus: To what extent does the timing of victim impact statement submission affect its influence on sentencing decisions in South Africa? 4.2 Your discussion must include • Victim impact and harm • Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Victim’s agency and meaning making 5.1 Research Focus: How do differences in urban and rural justice systems affect the use of victim impact statements in South Africa? 5.2 Your discussion must include • Victim impact and harm • Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Victim’s agency and meaning making 6.1 Research Focus: To what extent do victims understand the purpose and value of victim impact statements in the South African legal system? 6.2 Your discussion must include • Victim impact and harm • Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Victim’s agency and meaning making 7.1 Research Focus: Harmful cultural practices are a significant concern in victimology when practices defended as tradition cause harm to children. In South Africa, respect for culture and customary law must be considered alongside constitutional and statutory protections that safeguard children from maltreatment, abuse, degradation, exploitation and practices that are detrimental to their wellbeing. A definition and explanation of harmful cultural practices • Children as vulnerable victims • Ukuthwala and the victimisation of girls • Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and its physical, psychological and human rights implications • Circumcision of boys under the age of 16 and the risks linked to unsafe initiation practices • The tension between cultural rights and the protection of children from harm • The role of victim empowerment, support, prevention and reporting mechanisms A victimological discussion must therefore focus on harm, vulnerability, power imbalance, consent, reporting difficulties, and the role of victim-centred support and prevention. How does repeated exposure to the justice process affect victims’ willingness to participate in victim impact statements in South Africa? 7.2 Your discussion must include • Victim impact and harm • Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Victim’s agency and meaning making 8.1 Harmful cultural practices are a significant concern in victimology when practices defended as tradition cause harm to children. In South Africa, respect for culture and customary law must be considered alongside constitutional and statutory protections that safeguard children from maltreatment, abuse, degradation, exploitation and practices that are detrimental to their wellbeing. A victimological discussion must therefore focus on harm, vulnerability, power imbalance, consent, reporting difficulties, and the role of victim-centred support and prevention. Research Focus: To what extent do victim support services improve the accuracy and depth of victim impact statements in South Africa? 8.2 Your discussion must include • Victim impact and harm • Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Victim’s agency and meaning making 9.1 Research Focus: Discuss harmful cultural practices as a form of victimisation, with specific reference to children’s rights in South Africa, ukuthwala, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), and the circumcision of boys under the age of 16. How do gender based experiences shape the content and impact of victim impact statements in South African courts? 9.2 Your discussion must include • Victim impact and harm • Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Victim’s agency and meaning making 10.1 Discuss harmful cultural practices as a form of victimisation, with specific reference to children’s rights in South Africa, ukuthwala, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), and the circumcision of boys under the age of 16. Research Focus: To what extent do victim impact statements promote accountability and responsibility in offenders during sentencing in South Africa? 10.2 Your discussion must include • Victim impact and harm • Victims’ needs and rights in practice • Secondary victimisation • Victim participation beyond sentencing • Victim’s agency and meaning making