Francistown region pained by violence against women

Pini Bothoko | Monday December 7, 2015 16:33

Sethono said this while giving an overview of “16 Days of Activism Against GBV” commemoration held at Borolong Kgotla last Thursday.

The event was held under the theme; ‘From peace in the home, to peace in the world: Make education safe for all’.

Sethono said for the month of November alone they registered 56 cases of GBV with the number increasing monthly.

“To have recorded 56 cases in a month is worrisome because our efforts are to eliminate GBV,” she said, adding that hosting the event in Francistown was relevant because they receive most of the reports there.

Sethono said that for a change males top the list of the reports adding that men have started to open up on issues of violence.

She stated that in the past people who always came forth to report cases of GBV were women with men believed not to suffer abuse.

“Since we started going out in different places mobilising all about GBV males have started to disclose on issues of GBV,” said Sethono, calling on men to continue reporting such issues so that violence can be eliminated once and for all.

“We refer some cases to the area social worker to address at family level, but where possible we also refer them for legal advice,” said Sethono. She added that usually fighting about children will be the cause of most of the misunderstanding that leads to the violence.

She revealed that men who have abused their partners in the past whilst working and are no longer employed tend to be abused by their partners as revenge.

“When investigating the case we always establish that the man would have once been abusive toward his partner and since he is no longer working the woman being the provider for the family will revenge reminding him of what he used to do,” Sethono said.

Sethono said unlike their partners usually women do not abuse them physically, but rather emotionally, verbally and use insults against men.

She encouraged men, women and children to report GBV so that the matter can be addressed to bring peace amongst couples.

Sethono stated that the common abuses are physical, sexual, emotional, intimidation as well as economic abuse where one is not allowed to benefit from the family’s financial resources. Officiating at the event, Legal Aid Botswana manager for Francistown centre, Taboka Dambe, expressed a worry over births by mothers aged 16 years and under.

Dambe stated that between 2011 and November 2015, a total of 5,553 births by mothers aged 16 years and below were registered in Botswana with some of these mothers as young as 11-years-old.

“Amongst these mothers only 944 babies have the names of their fathers reflected on their birth certificates,” Dambe said.

She said acts of sexual violence are prevalent amongst learners as statistics indicate that in 2011, a total of 39 learners dropped out of primary school due to pregnancy while 453 learners dropped out of secondary school.

Dambe added that families and the society at large have a duty to provide children with information that enables them to recognise and deal with violence that may be perpetrated against them by teachers, other students as well as relatives.