90% of Namibian GBV survivors know their abusers – report
New study links alcohol abuse to Namibia’s GBV crisis
A new report on gender-based violence in Namibia has found that 90% of survivors knew their perpetrators, with abuse most often committed by intimate partners.
Substance abuse was also identified as a major contributing factor, with 67% of survivors reporting alcohol consumption by perpetrators during incidents.
The report was conducted and unveiled by the One Economy Foundation during the inaugural SparkRx Youth Health Innovation Summit last Friday, which saw the launch of 'Problematic Mindsets: Volume II', a critical research report addressing Namibia’s urgent challenges of GBV and sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR).
The event, which took place at the #BeFree Youth Campus in Windhoek, aimed to explore how digital innovation can improve SRHR and strengthen anti-GBV service delivery.
'Problematic Mindsets: Volume II', a follow-up to the foundation’s 2020 report, presents an expanded study offering deeper analysis of GBV and violence against children, drawing on data from four regions and five correctional facilities to ensure broader representation.
Dr Veronica Theron, director of health and wellness at the One Economy Foundation, emphasised that GBV should no longer be treated as an isolated issue but rather as a societal condition that requires collective action.
“As a foundation, One Economy calls for a collective shift,” she said, “from treating violence as an individual act to recognising it as a societal condition.”
The report further highlights the need for prevention, early intervention and survivor-centred support services. It also explores new dimensions, such as the role of emotional repression among men, the impact of digital spaces in facilitating abuse and the experiences of female inmates who had suffered prolonged abuse prior to committing offences.
'We hear you'
In attendance were, among others, One Economy Foundation executive chairperson Monica Geingos, health minister Esperance Luvindao, youth innovators, academics, state and civil society representatives.
The event also served as a platform to amplify young voices and showcase youth-led health innovations under the foundation’s #BeFree Movement and #BreakFree Anti-Violence Campaign.
During her keynote, Luvindao encouraged young innovators to focus their solutions on addressing critical national health challenges. She stressed that innovation must begin with purpose and intention, urging participants to identify the “why” behind their projects.
“If you have a solution that stands to possibly benefit at scale... I vow to listen to you," Luvindao pledged, committing her ministry’s support to youth-driven health innovations.
Pauline Thomas Kahupi, the executive director of the One Economy Foundation, described the summit as “a national convergence of evidence, innovation and young voices.”
She emphasised the interconnectedness of the issues being discussed, noting that “gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and innovation are not separate issues.”
Kahupi said the summit’s purpose was to bridge evidence and innovation to empower youth in designing solutions for a safer, healthier Namibia.
The event concluded with the SparkRx Innovation Showcase, which featured youth-led digital health solutions focused on improving SRHR delivery, promoting mental wellness, and reducing GBV through technology and data-driven approaches.
Substance abuse was also identified as a major contributing factor, with 67% of survivors reporting alcohol consumption by perpetrators during incidents.
The report was conducted and unveiled by the One Economy Foundation during the inaugural SparkRx Youth Health Innovation Summit last Friday, which saw the launch of 'Problematic Mindsets: Volume II', a critical research report addressing Namibia’s urgent challenges of GBV and sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR).
The event, which took place at the #BeFree Youth Campus in Windhoek, aimed to explore how digital innovation can improve SRHR and strengthen anti-GBV service delivery.
'Problematic Mindsets: Volume II', a follow-up to the foundation’s 2020 report, presents an expanded study offering deeper analysis of GBV and violence against children, drawing on data from four regions and five correctional facilities to ensure broader representation.
Dr Veronica Theron, director of health and wellness at the One Economy Foundation, emphasised that GBV should no longer be treated as an isolated issue but rather as a societal condition that requires collective action.
“As a foundation, One Economy calls for a collective shift,” she said, “from treating violence as an individual act to recognising it as a societal condition.”
The report further highlights the need for prevention, early intervention and survivor-centred support services. It also explores new dimensions, such as the role of emotional repression among men, the impact of digital spaces in facilitating abuse and the experiences of female inmates who had suffered prolonged abuse prior to committing offences.
'We hear you'
In attendance were, among others, One Economy Foundation executive chairperson Monica Geingos, health minister Esperance Luvindao, youth innovators, academics, state and civil society representatives.
The event also served as a platform to amplify young voices and showcase youth-led health innovations under the foundation’s #BeFree Movement and #BreakFree Anti-Violence Campaign.
During her keynote, Luvindao encouraged young innovators to focus their solutions on addressing critical national health challenges. She stressed that innovation must begin with purpose and intention, urging participants to identify the “why” behind their projects.
“If you have a solution that stands to possibly benefit at scale... I vow to listen to you," Luvindao pledged, committing her ministry’s support to youth-driven health innovations.
Pauline Thomas Kahupi, the executive director of the One Economy Foundation, described the summit as “a national convergence of evidence, innovation and young voices.”
She emphasised the interconnectedness of the issues being discussed, noting that “gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and innovation are not separate issues.”
Kahupi said the summit’s purpose was to bridge evidence and innovation to empower youth in designing solutions for a safer, healthier Namibia.
The event concluded with the SparkRx Innovation Showcase, which featured youth-led digital health solutions focused on improving SRHR delivery, promoting mental wellness, and reducing GBV through technology and data-driven approaches.
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