12 Dec 2022

 There is need to come up with strong community-based interventions to address harmful norms that perpetuate gender based violence (GBV).

In an interview in Gaborone on Friday, Botswana Christian Health & AIDS Intervention Programme (BOCHAIP) chief executive officer, Ms Bridget Mphusu said churches had to advocate for legislatives and administrative efforts that could reduce GBV, provide care for survivors and hold perpetrators accountable.

She said it was evident that although the church preached peace there were instances that showed that GBV was rampant in churches as well.

Ms Mphusu said the church should make a commitment to recognise violence, provide education and create accountability among the congregations to promote a safe and healthy nation status.

The church, she said, should pray for healing, wisdom, guidance and provide a safe space for members who experienced gender-based violence as well as provide shelter, food, clothing, mental healthcare, legal counsel, work and transportation for GBV survivors.

Ms Mphusu further said UNFPA cartegorises intimate partner violence (IPV) as the most prevalent human rights violations in the world.

GBV, she noted, had no age, sex, racial, economic or social status boundaries, as everyone could experience it, including Christians.

GBV manifestations, she added, could be psychological, emotional, economic and through cyber bulling.

Ms Mphusu further pointed out that Botswana had been experiencing a surge in cases of GBV since the national lockdowns in April 2020, adding that Botswana Police Service received reports of 2 789 cases of rape between January and November 2020 compared to 2 265 in 2019. Further, she noted that the 2018 National Relationship Study showed that 37 per cent of women and 21 per cent of men reported experiencing forms of violence at home.

Ms Mphusu said BOCHAIP joined the global community to commemorate 16 Days of Activism for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls from November 25 to December 10 and took a stand to strongly condemn any act of GBV including IPV.

Regarding the 2022 theme; Unite to End GBV, Ms Mphusu said BOCHAIP called for all men and women, church elders and community leaders to come on board and play a part in ending GBV in every aspect.

“We should all unite to end GBV now and break the silence,” said Ms Mphusu, further requesting communities to be united, learn more about GBV, report cases of GBV, saying in that way they would be able to be their brothers’ keepers.

In addition, she said BOCHAIP as a key partner in the delivery of community health services in Botswana, provided GBV prevention and response interventions in eight districts.

Among the interventions that BOCHAIP provides are; raising community awareness of harmful gender norms, GBV prevention measures and available GBV response services, psycho-social support to survivors of GBV, including IPartnerV, referral of survivors to post GBV care services, especially clinical care such as PrEP, treatment for physical injuries, legal and spiritual support. 

All of these interventions are free. ENDS