The shame of our GBV problem

One third of Namibian rape victims are younger than 18 while more than a third of women aged between 15 and 49 have experienced some form of violence in this country.

The Ministry of Justice recently reported that 70% of criminal cases registered at the High Court were related to gender-based violence (GBV).

More than 3 200 domestic violence cases were registered with the Namibian police during the financial year 2015 to 2016, which rose by 23% to 3v976 during the last financial period.

As reports of women brutally hacked, shot or stabbed to death proliferate, many are trapped in unhappy relationships, fearful of their fate, Salatiel Shinedima, executive director of the Women's Action for Development (WAD), said last Friday.

“Many women today are in bondage; they are scared to seek help because they fear that if he finds out, he may actually kill her.”

Shinedima said although Namibia has ratified a number of international conventions on human rights and enacted laws to protect women's rights, “it is sad and shameful that despite our small population, Namibia counts among the countries where violence against women and children has become the norm.”

These numbers and issues highlighting the grave problem of widespread violence against women in Namibia were shared at the launch of the 16 days of activism campaign against GBV on Friday.

Anita Kiki Gbeho, the UN resident coordinator and UNDP resident representative in Namibia, said two crucial steps could help the country end the plague of violence.

“We need good data. If we cannot measure, we cannot manage,” Gbeho said.

She said data can pinpoint the challenges of tackling GBV, indicate which laws and policies need strengthening, and boost efforts to change attitudes and practices.

The second request by the UN is to spur women and children to report abuse, whether they are experiencing it first-hand or know of someone else.

Gender equality and child welfare minister Doreen Sioka agreed, and urged everyone to speak up when they see signs of or experience abuse.

“When somebody invades your personal space to beat you, or abuse you verbally, usually they won't stop. Someone has to stop them, and that is you. Speak out.”



Costly brutality

Gbeho said empowering women and protecting their rights are good economically and socially for any country.

“GBV has a detrimental impact on the global economy. Therefore, addressing GBV is not only about what is right, it is also about what makes good economic sense.”

Research has also shown that violence against women could cost around 2% of the global gross domestic product, equivalent to US$1.5 trillion.

She said a child whose mother had some formal education is more likely to survive to their fifth birthday, receive adequate nutrition and be immunised and enrolled in school.

Shinedima warned that despite the countless efforts to curb GBV, “we continue to witness an escalation in violence and such cases are becoming more gruesome and brutal day by day.”

He said it's crucial to intervene as early as possible.

“It all starts from the way we raise our boys. Our boys are exposed to violence against women at a very early age. If there is no peace in the parental home then there will be no peace in society.”

And yet, the sad reality is that many parents themselves have been victims of early childhood abuse, or were exposed to violence.

“Violence in our homes has become a vicious circle which must be broken by the corrective includes in our homes, educational institutions, churches and other social institutions.”

The role of alcohol and other substances and their link to violence should not be underestimated, he warned.

Moreover, victims of violence often resort to alcohol and other substances to numb the trauma.

He also said discussions around the impact of harmful cultural practices are crucial.

“We Namibians love our diverse cultural norms, beliefs and practices”, but some cultural practices “do not conform to the principles and rules of the type of society we live in today,” he said.

Sioka said that the campaign is intended to highlight the scope of GBV and its impact as well as promote access to services available.

“This does not mean that our fight against GBV has ended. The fight will continue for 365 days every year until the battle is won.”

JANA-MARI SMITH