Talks to name and shame rapists underway
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Friday November 3, 2017 11:47
Government through the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs has commenced talks with stakeholders to discuss the proposed motion to publicly display the names of people convicted of sexual violence, especially pertaining to children.
Yesterday, government officials chased members of the media out of the meeting where different stakeholders including civil societies and the police convened consultation on the issue.
The officials said the discussions were not open to members of the media as they are still gathering ideas around the matter.
“The media is not part of the discussions today. It was a mistake that our junior officers sent invitations to all of you. What is discussed is not yet for public consumption,” the ministry official said.
The motion is expected to spark contrasting views in the society.
Rape has become a concern that is deeply disturbing the community and the police alike in Botswana. In June this year, Mmegi published a story in which the police indicated the shockingly high number of rape cases they had registered six months into the year.
Former Botswana Police Service spokesperson, assistant commissioner Witness Bosija was quoted by the paper saying that from January to May, 700 women had been raped.
The police said the rate at which rape cases increase in Botswana worried them because it appeared that their efforts to curb the crime were failing.
It is said that one of the powerful and controversial methods to curb sexual violence is to make public the names of the perpetrators so that they become aware that in doing so it is likely to pose a risk to their freedom or reputation.
The method had been adopted in the United States of America (USA), at both the federal and state levels. These registries contain information about persons convicted of sexual offences for law enforcement and public notification purposes. Information about the perpetrators is open to the public via websites so that people would be aware if there is anyone who has been convicted of a sexual offence in their area.
In Australia, it is said that sex assault victims who feel the system has failed them are taking to the internet to ‘name and shame’ their alleged rapists, as part of a growing trend.