In this article, I wish to argue that this gang rape case was just a tip of the iceberg and that there are countless cases of child abuse in Botswana which are unfortunately given impetus by widespread neglect of children by a majority of parents. It is worth noting that child abuse in Botswana as in many parts of the developing world has always been narrowly confined to the physical dimension of this highly complex activity. Most parents are not aware that brushing aside or failure to give audience to children to register/express their daily troubles is the equivalent of child neglect which is itself a form of child abuse. It must be stated unequivocally that before parents could apportion blame on school authorities for apparent lapse in authority, they must first and foremost critically examine themselves, their role and responsibilities as parents. In recent years, there have been cases of children disappearing while playing with their peers and in most cases such children disappeared for good. As is easier to apportion blame, parents and to some extent the Police have always found it convenient to target pedophiles and witches/wizards and organ traders as immediate suspects. Whereas this approach to investigations could be a good starting point, it is my sincere submission that parents of missing and/or abused children must be made to experience the full wrath of law (including torture for they deserve it) and be compelled to give comprehensive reasons why they could not be held responsible for the tragedy that befell their children. Such parents must take the biggest share of the flak. This would instill a reasonable level of responsibility amongst parents. While still mourning the disappearance or abuse of their child, such parents must be taken to task with a view to establish the circumstances under which the child disappeared or got raped. Such an approach may come to reveal that in most cases parents are accomplices in the disappearance or abuse of children.
Child neglect is a form of child abuse that is an act of omission which could include failing to provide for a child's basic needs, either clothing for a specific weather or meals. It is not uncommon to sight unbathed or dirty and ragged children whose faces often portray cases of extreme hunger and malnutrition whereas their parents are well clothed, clean and enjoy frequent meals in some of Gaborone's up-market restaurants. Botswana laws must make provision that this form of child abuse, be it neglect or lack of proper supervision, is punishable. There are instances where a child gets injured while playing with others only for the child's parents to rebuke him/her and leave the child to attend to his/her injury on the ground that he/she has chosen to play and should find a way out 'o tla ipona, ke mang yo o rileng o tshameke?'
Parents must also be made aware that severe physical punishment (by hitting, excessive beating, pinching, etc) which results in injury, tantamount to abuse and is punishable. Punishment should serve to cause reasonable pain precisely for purposes of correction. Yelling, screaming, humiliating, threatening 'ke tla go boloya selo ke wena', are other common forms of ill-treatment of defenceless children which often go unpunished under the laws of Botswana, but which certainly constitute emotional abuse and interferes with a child's development.
