GBV Haunts Women In Service
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Monday December 9, 2019 12:46
She was leading a discussion here on women in service as victims of gender-based violence (GBV) at the Northern Division Women Police Network (NDWPN) women in service symposium, at Adansonia hotel.
Phuduhudu said women in service face a number of challenges such as being systematically isolated because they declined to be in sexual relationships with their male counterparts.
“In most cases your seniors will come and propose to you and when you refuse, you are in for hell. You will never be given transfer nor be promoted even though you deserve it. When you come up with brilliant ideas, which could benefit the unit, your boss will shut the idea down just because you refused to be in a relationship with them,” she said.
“You cannot wear what you want at BPS. For instance a knee length skirt is regarded as dressed inappropriately and indecent and it is for that reason that we opt not to wear dresses, but rather jeans so that I don’t get into trouble with my superiors.”
She said most of the women in the service are also abused verbally when offering different services to the public. During the question and comments session, one of Phuduhudu’s colleague revealed a traumatic past experience she encountered on GBV.
She shared tears when she disclosed that her male counterpart once sexually assaulted her. She added that the horrific incident is still haunting her because she has not found closure on the matter since the spine chilling experience.
The female warder said what devastated her most was that the perpetrator has gone unpunished and works for the BPS.
The victim revealed that the incident took place at Baines Drift Prisons facility some years back.
She said she was posted to the same facility with three other women who were later transferred leaving her alone surrounded by men in the workplace.
“When I close my eyes I recall the day as if I am dreaming. That man forced himself on me and took advantage of me because I am a woman. He was my colleague for God’s sake but that did not stop him,” the victim narrated.
The prison guard, who was weeping uncontrollably, said she reported the incident to the relevant authorities, but no action was taken against the perpetrator. The victim said she was later transferred to another prison facility and it hurts her to learn that the same culprit is still walking freely and working in the same organisation.
She pleaded for help from women who were in attendance, but was attended to by a social worker and psychologist who were in the same symposium. Mascom Wireless donated P58, 700 from the Batanani Walk proceeds to Botswana Police Services Women Network (BPSWN) to host the two-days women in service symposium.