22 Jun 2025

Serowe police have expressed concern over rising number of gender-based violence (GBV) cases withdrawal by victims.

Sergeant Oarabile Tom of Serowe police under gender and child protection unit 

Sergeant Tom said most reasons advanced for withdrawal of such cases were that the victims had forgiven perpertatros after families interventions.

Mr Tom was speaking at the National Week of Prayer for gender-based violence in Serowe on Friday. 

Most of GBV cases were reported by women, children and people with disabilities, who most of the time lived with perpetrators.

He called on pastors to pray against GBV.

Mr Tom further said the district had 

He further noted that the district had experienced cases of rape, child neglect, assault common and defilement.

He said they recorded 248 cases of rape in 2022, 132 cases in 2023 and 123 cases in 2024, while defilement cases of the same years were recorded as 117, followed by 76 and 91 respectively.

As for cases of child neglect, they recorded 70 in 2022 and 29 in 2023 and 26 in 2024 adding that children aged 10 and 13 were left with families members in the absence of their parents.

 Official from Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs, Ms Abaleng Khombani said the objective of the national week of prayer countrywide was to raise GBV awareness.

Ms Khombani also said they encouraged GBV victims to seek prayers and counselling as a way of dealing with the situation.

Serowe District Council chairperson, Mr Atamelang Thaga, also said they were equally concerned about the rising number of GBV cases in district. ENDS