28 Mar 2017

Gender based violence contributes significantly to the spread of HIV infection.
Divisional Commander Traffic, North Central, Assistant Commissioner Pelontle Kesupile said recently during a kgotla meeting in Letlhakane when addressing the public on the relationship between gender based violence and the spread of HIV in communities.
Assistant Commissioner Kesupile noted that both victims and perpetrators of gender based violence were at equal risk of infection.
Statistics of rape and defilement cases which are common incidents of sexual gender based violence reveal that usually men are involved as perpetrators whilst women are victims.
ACP Kesupile said gender based violence is any act violating or imposed against another person on the basis of their gender whether by a person of the same or opposite sex.
In addition, he said gender based violence has various forms such as physical, psychological and social and these have affected societies at individual, group and corporate levels.
He further said gender based violence is common between opposite sex being physical, especially sexual.
Sexual gender based violence undermines victims power of will, violates their security and leaves a lasting mark of psychological pain, he said.
In Boteti region, District No 8 policing area, 91 rape cases were reported in 2014, 116 in 2015 and 115 in 2016.
In all these cases over these years victims are women whilst men are perpetrators and for cases involving men having sexual relations with young girls who are below the age of 16 years, 21 cases were recorded in 2014 whilst 2015 and 2016 each recorded 19 cases, he said.
Moreover, he said statistics show that in rape cases, five per cent of incidents where the condom was used whilst in two per cent victims were not aware and the rest 93 per cent condoms were not used of which is a great hazard to a healthy life.
Mr Kesupile stated that even though perpetrators are not tested at the time of arrest, majority of them would be detained up to 24 hours at the most whilst preliminary investigation was being carried out and during their stay in custody, some willing to adhere to their medication disclosed to the police that they were on ARV treatment.
He said it was not possible to tell during investigation the number of perpetrators knew their status at the time of committing such crimes.
Furthermore, he said when anyone was convicted of rape, the court orders that they should be tested for HIV and if they tested positive the sentence became stiffer and if it could be proved that they were aware of such status at the committing of the offence.
Rape is a forceful crime that no proper precautions could be taken to effectively ensure maximum protection though both perpetrators and victims may try as it has potential to spread HIV infections whether new or re-infections.
Moreover, Asssitant Commissioner Kesupile pointed out some of the factors caused by gender based violence such as gender equality, behaviour indifference and alcohol and drug abuse.
He said even though men were well known for gender based violence they too could also be victims which mostly affects them psychologically.
He said it was high time a decision is made to stop gender based violence and stay safe. ACP Kesupile urged the public to be aware of their updated status as this was key to effective prevention.
Coordinator for sexual transmitted infections (STI), Mr Tshepo Engliton said STIs were infections acquired through sexual intercourse either genitally, orally or anally.
She said STIs present differently depending on the causative organism as some may present as ulcers, discharges or sores and these were genital warts, acute scrotal swelling, vaginal discharge and lower abdominal pains.
Additionally she said the presence of HIV infection in partners increases the risk of HIV infection as the infected person appears to have an increased risk of HSV-2 infection and therefore she urged men and women to visit the clinics when experiencing unusual sickness before it becomes late.
She also encouraged partner testing as it decreases chances of HIV new infection.
Councillor Orapeleng Dikgang urged attendees to spread the message to their communities and form men sector committees at their villages as a way of getting men and women concerns and how they could be addressed easily. ENDS