Can Shikongo police sexting and still win the war?

When Namibia’s top cop Joseph Shikongo isn’t fighting crime on the ground, he’s apparently also fighting Cupid’s 21st-century cousin: sexting. His latest warning to the public? Don’t send nudes to your latest crush – not even if they swear eternal love.“Even the ones you know, stop sharing your nudes,” the inspector general told a hall full of women at the National Women’s Conference in Helao Nafidi last week. The crowd might have laughed nervously, but Shikongo was dead serious: once your photo leaves your phone, it may never leave the internetIn his words: “That is not love. This exposes you to cyberbullying, blackmail... or sexual grooming through digital platforms.” A sober reminder of what’s at stake, and to perhaps pause before sending a saucy snap to the object of your affection.Days later, at another event in Windhoek, Shikongo extended the sermon – this time telling Namibians to keep not only their privates private but also their accident footage. Apparently, oversharing is now a national emergency.“This is becoming a serious problem. When the relationship ends, some men are using these pictures as weapons to shame or blackmail women,” he said, warning that the police will not hesitate to prosecute revenge-porn peddlers.As Shikongo reminded his audiences, the digital world is not like your granny’s shoebox of love letters that could be burned if things went sour. “Love can end, but the internet never forgets." Surely a warning worth heeding.That means a saucy snap taken in the giddy rush of affection can become tomorrow’s evidence in a courtroom, or worse – a viral meme.Rules of love? Good luckStill, here’s the rub: when people are smitten, police protocols rarely spring to mind. A partner’s request for a photo feels like a gesture of trust, not the makings of a cybercrime case.Which explains why, despite countless warnings, sexting thrives. Yesterday’s secret letters and midnight calls have simply been replaced by WhatsApp images and Snapchats. Technology evolves, but young love remains as stubborn – and reckless – as ever.So, can Shikongo really police love in the digital age? Probably not. What he can do is raise awareness, prosecute the abusers, and keep reminding Namibians that respect is the ultimate romance.As he put it: “Men must not treat women’s trust as a toy.”But whether couples will actually listen to reason when their hearts (and hormones) take over is another battle entirely.When revenge leaves lives in ruinsCountless cautionary tales show how a single leaked image can shatter lives.In Italy, Tiziana Cantone sent private videos to a former partner in a moment of vulnerability. The clips later went viral, sparking a relentless wave of humiliation. Despite legal battles to have them removed, the ordeal ended in tragedy when she took her own life. Her case remains one of the most sobering examples of the devastating human toll of revenge porn.Across the Channel, reality TV personality Stephen Bear uploaded footage of an intimate encounter to his OnlyFans account without consent. His short-lived online fame ended with a prison sentence for disclosing private sexual material with intent to cause distress.Sexting stats that stingIf you think you’re safe, think again. A global Kaspersky study found that nearly a quarter of respondents had shared intimate images with romantic partners – or sometimes even strangers. The number jumped to almost four in ten among 25- to 34-year-olds. Yet, tellingly, only about one in five people asked their partners to delete the images afterwards. Another multinational survey of more than 16 000 adults revealed that over 22% had experienced image-based sexual abuse, with women and LGBTQ individuals reporting the deepest scars.

Can Shikongo police sexting and still win the war?

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-25

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Can Shikongo police sexting and still win the war?

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-25

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