Worrisome drug use on the rise in COVID-19 lockdown
Pini Bothoko | Thursday April 16, 2020 17:44
The Deputy Commissioner for Botswana Police Service (BPS), Dinah Marathe revealed their concern recently when addressing the media on Gender Based Violence during lockdown.
Marathe said it appears that a majority of people have replaced alcohol with drug use and abuse because alcohol sale has since been banned.
“Ever since the closure of bars and the ban of alcohol sale we have seen a rise in drug use. More people are getting involved in drugs use during the lockdown, it looks like people have replaced alcohol with drugs like marijuana, cocaine to mention but a few,” Marathe said.
She added that looking at the GBV statistics during the lockdown it is evident that the violence is aggravate by risen drug use. Marathe said from March 30 to April 5, 2020 the police have recorded 22 rape cases, 23 defilement cases, one case of threat-to-kill, two murder cases (involving couples) and one indecent assault case.