Members of the Moeti East community have been urged to break the silence on gender-based violence and make use of available support services to fight against the scourge.
Women Against Rape (WAR), in partnership with Men Engage Botswana, hosted a GBV dialogue at Moeti East Kgotla aimed at assessing residents’ knowledge and use of GBV services available in Maun.
Social worker, Gorewang Kgetho, highlighted underreporting of GBV incidents in Moeti East, noting that many victims choose to remain silent due to economic dependence on perpetrators.
“In most cases, the perpetrator is the breadwinner at home. Victims keep quiet so that they can continue to be supported and cared for,” Kgetho said.
Kgetho encouraged community members to strive for self-reliance as a way of reducing vulnerability to abuse, adding that financial independence does not always require large capital. “One does not need a lot of money to start a small business. Selling sweets or chips can help sustain you and prevent situations where you tolerate abuse just to survive,” she said.
She further raised concern over parents leaving children alone at home, saying this exposes them to sexual abuse and other forms of violence.
Sharing community frustrations, Moeti East resident Gaenakgosi Segarega said some residents feel discouraged from reporting abuse, citing what he described as limited support from authorities. “Sometimes it feels hopeless to report such cases. You are told to stay away from the children to avoid being sued by your own child, police nowadays cannot help discipline children because they have rights,” Segarega said.
Meanwhile, Executive Director at Women Against Rape Peggy Ramaphane emphasized that GBV often begins at household level before spreading into the wider community.
“Abuse starts at home. Parents must raise children from a young age to understand that GBV is wrong. Love your children and teach them that violence is never the answer, so that we do not groom future perpetrators,” Ramaphane said.
For his part, Moeti East Chief, Kgosi Kerakilwe Nkape, called on young men to desist from acts of violence against women, stressing that rejection should never lead to abuse or loss of life.
“If a woman does not want you anymore, it is always better to walk away. No matter how much you feel you have invested in her, it is never an excuse to kill or abuse her,” Kgosi Nkape said.
