17 Jun 2014

Mr Karabo Rantwa, a counselor at Botswana Substance Abuse Support Network (BOSASNet), has encouraged the community to stop segregating children who are involved in drugs, but rather embrace them and give them support.

Speaking at a press conference on June 16, Mr Rantwa said people should first investigate the cause why children ended up taking drugs, rather than judging them and pointing accusing fingers at them.

“There are usually underlying issues that prompt youngsters to use drugs. So we should not be too quick to judge them,” he said.

He revealed that in most instances, after counseling sessions, they realised that some children who took drugs were sexually abused at a young age and concealed it until they were older. 

He added that some children were tormented and abused by their parents and ended up seeking solace in drugs or becoming delinquents. “The blame game does not work, first we should find out why these children indulge in drugs and other social ills,” said Mr Rantwa.

He encouraged parents to empower the girl child as they are the ones who are most vulnerable. He further called on parents to stop exposing their children to alcohol and drugs by consuming them in front of them, saying when they grow up the children would then mimic their parents.

The Human Rights coordinator at Stepping Stones International (SSI), Chirwah Mahloko, said her organisation is engaged in research in different districts in Botswana to establish gaps that exist when dealing with children affected by rape.

He said rape victims are forced to go through a series of cumbersome processes after their ordeal, which involves teachers, medical staff, magistrates and police officers. “This can be cumbersome and nerve wrecking for them,” he said.

He added that some families conceal sexual abuse and incest cases as they want to protect the perpetrators. He also revealed that a report by the Ministry of Education, released in 2013, states that 67 percent of children in Botswana were being abused. “The biggest problem pertaining to sexual violence in Botswana is that only a few of these cases are actually reported,” he said.  ENDS