This statement was made by one Richard Wilkins, in an article titled, “Why is Violence More Common Where Inequality is Greater?” It illustrates that where there is a greater gap between the rich and the poor, there is a greater tendency for a poor quality of how we treat each other. Essentially, inequality is destructive for society. This of course is something we may passively consider, but has to be explored more, particularly where there are reports of individuals and groups of persons attaining or really amassing wealth through corruption, at the same time that more crimes, usually against women and children are being reported, with a great majority of these being more heinous by the count.
Studies have been done in countries similar to Botswana in terms of how the poverty sits side-by-side with the extremely wealthy, and it has been shown that inequality slows overall growth, but also creates unjust barriers based on individual’s gender, amongst other factors. This corrodes trust between members of the society, increases levels of anxiety and illness and apparently encourages excessive consumption. It is no mistake that the malls in the cities, towns and even peri-urban areas are constantly being built and renovated, with our government directly assisting the setting up of international chain stores. It is also not a mistake that the rates of violence are on a steady rise, with increased rates of rape reported, and most going unchecked, beyond the occasional reports by the Botswana Police Service. Of course both violence and inequality are complex issues, and this piece does not seek to overly simplify them, but instead, it seeks to suggest that perhaps our government’s priorities need re-direction, particularly because the two are undeniably linked. In the meantime, there should not be such loud silence in the prioritisation of the protection of and prevention of violence against women, children and the LGBTI community.
