The ugly face in the mirror

Ashley Smith
In modern society, statistics are continually glorified as critical and relevant in determining the scope of the challenges we face.

With this in mind, it was a sobering slap in the face when the nation was confronted yesterday by the Everest of gender-based violence cases that are continuing to pile up on police investigator desks across the country.

A total of 5 961 of these cases were reported nationally from September 2019 to September this year, while 1 145 protection orders were issued during the same period to those who simply wanted help from the authorities to deal with escalating abuse in their lives.

Meanwhile, 900 cases have been finalised and 712 people have been convicted, while there have been 378 acquittals.

The rape statistics also leave a bitter taste in the mouth.

From September 2019 to September this year, 896 cases were reported, with 604 arrests.

Segregated data for rape cases recorded between January and December last year show that 711 cases were reported involving 344 women, 13 men, 330 girls and 16 boys. Each one of these victims has loved ones who have had to help them through this most heinous experience.

If we needed a mirror shoved into our faces in order to see what we are up against as a nation, then these figures have truly illuminated the sickness that continues to permeate Namibian families, personal relationships and communities.

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Namibian Sun 2024-05-02

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LaLiga: Barcelona 4 vs 2 Valencia SerieA: Genoa 3 vs 0 Cagliari European Championships Qualifying: Coventry City 1 vs 2 Ipswich Town | Preston North End 0 vs 3 Leicester City English Championship: Coventry City 1 vs 2 Ipswich Town | Preston North End 0 vs 3 Leicester City Katima Mulilo: 12° | 33° Rundu: 12° | 31° Eenhana: 14° | 33° Oshakati: 16° | 32° Ruacana: 15° | 32° Tsumeb: 15° | 31° Otjiwarongo: 14° | 29° Omaruru: 15° | 32° Windhoek: 13° | 27° Gobabis: 15° | 28° Henties Bay: 16° | 21° Wind speed: 40km/h, Wind direction: E, Low tide: 04:26, High tide: 10:41, Low Tide: 16:45, High tide: 23:19 Swakopmund: 16° | 18° Wind speed: 30km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 04:24, High tide: 10:39, Low Tide: 16:43, High tide: 23:17 Walvis Bay: 17° | 25° Wind speed: 30km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 04:24, High tide: 10:38, Low Tide: 16:43, High tide: 23:16 Rehoboth: 15° | 29° Mariental: 18° | 31° Keetmanshoop: 20° | 32° Aranos: 18° | 30° Lüderitz: 14° | 25° Ariamsvlei: 20° | 34° Oranjemund: 14° | 22° Luanda: 25° | 28° Gaborone: 16° | 29° Lubumbashi: 11° | 26° Mbabane: 14° | 25° Maseru: 10° | 26° Antananarivo: 15° | 25° Lilongwe: 14° | 28° Maputo: 18° | 28° Windhoek: 13° | 27° Cape Town: 16° | 24° Durban: 18° | 26° Johannesburg: 17° | 26° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 30° Lusaka: 15° | 27° Harare: 13° | 27° Currency: GBP to NAD 23.23 | EUR to NAD 19.91 | CNY to NAD 2.56 | USD to NAD 18.57 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.32 | EGP to NAD 0.38 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.68 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.58 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 133.96 | USD to AOA 834.06 | USD to BWP 13.64 | USD to EGP 47.9 | USD to KES 134.48 | USD to NGN 1349.9 | USD to ZAR 18.57 | USD to ZMW 26.87 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 76076.19 Down -0.5% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1690.93 Down -0.96% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13322.85 Up +0.03% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 26113.71 Up +6.81% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9146.09 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 304.52/OZ UP +0.57% | Copper US$ 4.46/lb DOWN -0.0092 | Zinc US$ 2 923.50/T UP 0.18% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 84.32/BBP DOWN -0.0273 | Platinum US$ 952.28/OZ UP +1.87% Sport results: LaLiga: Barcelona 4 vs 2 Valencia SerieA: Genoa 3 vs 0 Cagliari European Championships Qualifying: Coventry City 1 vs 2 Ipswich Town | Preston North End 0 vs 3 Leicester City English Championship: Coventry City 1 vs 2 Ipswich Town | Preston North End 0 vs 3 Leicester City Weather: Katima Mulilo: 12° | 33° Rundu: 12° | 31° Eenhana: 14° | 33° Oshakati: 16° | 32° Ruacana: 15° | 32° Tsumeb: 15° | 31° Otjiwarongo: 14° | 29° Omaruru: 15° | 32° Windhoek: 13° | 27° Gobabis: 15° | 28° Henties Bay: 16° | 21° Wind speed: 40km/h, Wind direction: E, Low tide: 04:26, High tide: 10:41, Low Tide: 16:45, High tide: 23:19 Swakopmund: 16° | 18° Wind speed: 30km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 04:24, High tide: 10:39, Low Tide: 16:43, High tide: 23:17 Walvis Bay: 17° | 25° Wind speed: 30km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 04:24, High tide: 10:38, Low Tide: 16:43, High tide: 23:16 Rehoboth: 15° | 29° Mariental: 18° | 31° Keetmanshoop: 20° | 32° Aranos: 18° | 30° Lüderitz: 14° | 25° Ariamsvlei: 20° | 34° Oranjemund: 14° | 22° Luanda: 25° | 28° Gaborone: 16° | 29° Lubumbashi: 11° | 26° Mbabane: 14° | 25° Maseru: 10° | 26° Antananarivo: 15° | 25° Lilongwe: 14° | 28° Maputo: 18° | 28° Windhoek: 13° | 27° Cape Town: 16° | 24° Durban: 18° | 26° Johannesburg: 17° | 26° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 30° Lusaka: 15° | 27° Harare: 13° | 27° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.23 | EUR to NAD 19.91 | CNY to NAD 2.56 | USD to NAD 18.57 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.32 | EGP to NAD 0.38 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.68 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.58 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 133.96 | USD to AOA 834.06 | USD to BWP 13.64 | USD to EGP 47.9 | USD to KES 134.48 | USD to NGN 1349.9 | USD to ZAR 18.57 | USD to ZMW 26.87 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 76076.19 Down -0.5% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1690.93 Down -0.96% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13322.85 Up +0.03% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 26113.71 Up +6.81% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9146.09 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 304.52/OZ UP +0.57% | Copper US$ 4.46/lb DOWN -0.0092 | Zinc US$ 2 923.50/T UP 0.18% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 84.32/BBP DOWN -0.0273 | Platinum US$ 952.28/OZ UP +1.87%