Letlhakane registers 52 rape cases in seven months
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday September 5, 2023 06:00
Rape and other sexual offences have been prevalent yet often underreported in this policing region for over a decade. According to the police's latest information, it appears that gender-based violence (GBV) organisations are operating particularly effectively in these areas.
Letlhakane Police Station commander, Superintendent Michael Maphephu expressed to The Monitor his concern over the alarming number of rape cases in his jurisdiction, with 52 cases reported since the year began.
He noted a significant spike in rape incidents during mid-year. "In May and June, we recorded 22 rape incidents in our policing area, with most of these occurring in the cattle posts on the outskirts of Letlhakane," he added. In many instances, the perpetrators and victims have some prior acquaintance, whether through family or neighbours. Maphephu explained that in most of the recorded cases, victims were reportedly raped while sleeping or when travelling home after a night out.
Some perpetrators take advantage of women by asking to stay the night after visiting their families, only to commit the crime in the course of the night. Previously, many of these crimes went unreported, particularly when the perpetrators were family members. However, recent GBV campaigns and the establishment of gender connection groups have encouraged victims and their families to report such incidents without fear or favour. The Letlhakane station commander also expressed concern about murders involving cohabiting partners. So far this year, they have recorded seven cases of murder involving intimate partners, including one suicide.
The increasing trend of passion killings is worrying, according to Maphephu, who encouraged individuals to seek counselling when facing relationship issues. He noted that men often wait until situations escalate significantly due to societal pressure to appear strong and resilient. As a result, Maphephu urged individuals to seek professional help when needed, citing three recent incidents of murder and suicide fuelled by passion in the past month alone.
In one incident, a 42-year-old man from Mopipi village allegedly murdered his live-in partner and the mother of his children. In another case, a man from the Tawana Extension area killed his girlfriend, with whom he was living in a rented place. On a different note, a middle-aged man took his own life after a misunderstanding with his girlfriend.