Community harasses victims of GBV – Afrobarometer

A majority of Namibians say while police officers take reported cases of gender-based violence seriously, community members criticise or harass the complainant for seeking help from law enforcement.Further along, nearly three in four Namibians, or 73%, say that domestic violence is a criminal matter that requires the involvement of law enforcement agencies to resolve. One quarter see it as a private matter that needs to be handled within the family.These details are contained in the recent Afrobarometer survey released on Friday, which shows that most Namibians believe that violence against women and girls is common in their homes and communities.The survey further shows that 82% of citizens believe that it is either “very likely” (59%) or “somewhat likely” (23%) that the police will take reported cases of gender-based violence seriously. Fewer than one in five believe that it is unlikely.But more than four in 10 respondents, 42%, think it is likely that a woman will be criticised, harassed, or shamed by others in the community if she reports an incident of gender-based violence.GBV &#039;justified&#039;The report reveals that more than half of the Namibian population believe that men are never justified in physically disciplining their wives, while about four in 10 say this can be justified at least some of the time.The study shows that 57% of Namibians report that in their area, it is either “very common” (29%) or “somewhat common” (28%) for men to use violence against women and girls in the home or in the community. Only 16% say it is “not at all common”.Namibia has been fighting the scourge of gender-based violence.At least 58% of Namibians now understand that it is never justified for a man to physically discipline his wife. About one quarter, 26%, believe that it is sometimes justified, and 13% say that it is always justified.Afrobarometer is a Pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life.Eight survey rounds in up to 39 countries have been completed since 1999. Round nine surveys (2021/2022) are currently under way.Afrobarometer’s national partners conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice.The Afrobarometer team in Namibia, led by national partner Survey Warehouse, interviewed a nationally representative sample of 1 200 adult Namibians in October and November 2021.Previous surveys were conducted in Namibia in 1999, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2017, and 2019.- tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

Community harasses victims of GBV – Afrobarometer

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-07

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Community harasses victims of GBV – Afrobarometer

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-07

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