A call to action against GBV
Friday, November 27, 2015

Miller
The United States (US) struggles with the issue of gender-based violence (GBV). In Botswana, a country rightly known for its history of peace and commitment to the rule of law, women and girls are also victims of violence at alarming rates.
This month, the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security reported during a three-year period between 2012 and 2014 there were more than 6,000 cases of rape against women and girls – that is more than five every day. During the same period, 235 women were murdered and nearly 1,600 cases of defilement against girls under the age of 16 were reported. According to the Botswana Gender-based Violence Indicators Study published in March 2012, 67% of women in Botswana experienced some form of GBV. These numbers only reflect cases where the victim was brave enough to report the crime to police. Studies suggest many cases of GBV go unreported.
From Jakoba's mysterious disappearance on November 9 to the grim discovery of his remains at Mosinki Lands, a gap in the response mechanisms of the police and village leadership has been laid bare. The community's anger is evident, seen in the attack on Bakang Masole, the man found driving Jakoba's taxi and the main suspect, and the subsequent riot. Residents express discontent, citing a troubling trend of missing persons cases often...