SWAKOPMUND – Residents of the coastal town of Swakopmund are concerned about the increasing incidents of domestic violence in which women, children and other vulnerable sections of the population are the main victims.
Residents at a meeting that was held recently in Mondesa in Swakopmund urged the government and all Namibians to revert back to the teachings of the bible in order to end the social scourges of baby-dumping, domestic violence and passion killings. Swakopmund councillor and Member of Parliament Germina Shitaleni said her office organised a series of community meetings after hearing numerous concerns about domestic violence from members of the community. “It is of great concern that our women and children and even men in some cases have to suffer at the hands of their loved ones. We cannot wait on the government alone to find solutions for these social evils. As a community we must also try from our side to solve them,” she said. An elderly resident, who attended the meeting said Namibia ought to return to its old values and become a God-fearing nation. “We must consult our bibles and go back to our traditional values if we want to find a solution for these social evils.” Another resident observed that incidents of domestic violence have increased since women became more aware of their rights and are spending more time in front of the televisions, while men have resorted to doing household chores.
Last month, the Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Rosalia Nghidinwa, indicated that her ministry is expecting over 10 000 cases of gender-based violence (GVB) to be reported by the end of this year. She said in 2011 a total of 7 824 cases of gender-based violence were reported and 8 408 during 2012. She also noted that GBV incidents increase dramatically every year and added that it poses one of the biggest challenges faced by ordinary citizens everywhere, including at the household level.
By Eveline de Klerk