EDITORIAL: Tackling the root causes of child rape

Each week, the police report new cases of rape of children and teenagers. Instead of a rare phenomenon, child rape has become all too common in Namibia.This begs the question - is Namibia is serious about tackling the root causes of child rape, and gender-based violence in general? Do we have a multitude of tools in place to root out an epidemic in which terrorising kids and women is a daily occurrence?In Namibia, one root cause is widespread poverty and hunger. Another: A thriving culture of masculinity and violence. Soldiers and police attack civilians, children are beaten for small infractions, men and women stab each other in drunken rages.In 2023, many Namibians still comfortably discriminate and subjugate those viewed as more vulnerable and less than: Women, children, the LGBTQI community, the differently-abled.Victim-blaming thrives. Why were the kids left alone in the care of male relative or neighbour? Not because of poverty and limited child-care resources, but because of bad mothers. Why was she out so late and why was her outfit not less appealing to the hyper-sexual male gaze?Instead of focusing on why a man would consider - and act on - a violent sexual urge, we blame the victim.Addressing a culture of rape will not be easy. But we have to start somewhere. We have to start with our boys and our girls when they are still young.

EDITORIAL: Tackling the root causes of child rape

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-26

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EDITORIAL: Tackling the root causes of child rape

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-26

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