07 Dec 2015

Boteti police chief senior superintendent Sarah Gabathusi has attributed the surging number of rape cases in the Boteti Sub - district to rampant alcohol abuse and the use of illicit drugs.

Ms Gabathusi said this at the end of a Gender Based Violence (GBV) march themed , From peace in the home to peace in the world: make education safe for all, at Letlhakane kgotla last Thursday.

She indicated that her policing area had recorded an increase in number of rape cases at the fourth quarter of 2015 compared to the previous year.“In 2014 alone at the end of this quarter, we recorded 89 rape cases but this year despite the fact that Christmas has not yet arrived, we already surpassed the number as we are standing at 92 cases,” she said.

She also indicated that some women who frequented bars in her policing area had the tendency of expecting men to buy them alcohol. “As women you should know that there is nothing for free as there is a probability of you becoming another victim of rape after imbibing that alcohol,” she cautioned. 

On other issues, she noted that there was a decline in defilement cases given that in 2014 in the same quarter, 20 cases were registered compared to 11 this year. 

That, she said was because of relentless efforts exerted by her officers to sensitise school children about dangers of engaging in sexual activities while still young.

Further, she noted that the decline in assaults cases was a result of the police confiscating unlawful traditional beer from illegal brewers as their homesteads initially played a role in their escalation.

Meanwhile, Letlhakane Primary Hospital matron, Ms Catherine Garebatho said GBV was one of the most universal violations of human rights in the world but also among the least prosecuted crimes.“We have to do more to respond to the cries for justice for women and children who have suffered violence or are to suffer violence both physically and psychologically,” Ms Garebatho said.

Earlier, Kgosi Baruntshi Kegapetswe had decried the low number of residents who participated in the march despite the fact that they were affected. Ends