Here’s a powerful excerpt from BGBVC CEO Lorato Moalusi’s speech during the vigil:
“As you are all aware, Gender Based Violence (GBV) is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. It knows no social, economic or national, must I say, even RELIGIOUS boundaries. Globally, violence against women and girls is an issue of scale. It is reported that

a) 35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence.
b) 7% of women have been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner.
c) And, as many as 38% of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner.
Botswana is listed as one of the countries with a high prevalence of GBV cases, affecting both men and women but higher among women and children. The Botswana National Relationship Study (2018) indicates that thirty – seven percent (37%) of women and twenty – one percent (21%) of men have experienced some form of violence in their lifetime. The outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic as we all know, significantly increased/exposed the level of GBV, particularly during the lockdowns.

The Study also showed that past experiences of violence play a role in influencing both perpetration and experience of violence in future relationships. Child abuse emerged as the strongest determinant of Gender Based Violence perpetration. Of the total women who reported experience of GBV, 92% had experienced some form of abuse in childhood and of those who reported experience of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) 94% were abused in childhood. Amongst men, 97% who reported experiencing IPV and GBV were abused in childhood and 97% who reported perpetrating IPV had also experienced abuse before they reached 18 years of age.
In 2023, Botswana Police Service is said to have recorded over 18 000 cases of various forms of GBV countrywide. The reality is that these numbers speak to cases that have been reported only. The prevalence of GBV reported in the Survey is seven times higher than that reported to the Police. So, how much happens in our communities that goes unreported.
The theme for 2024 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence is #NO EXCUSE: Let us Unite to End Violence Against Women and Children. It goes without saying that GBV in Botswana has been increasingly reported.

We have seen over the years that it has become more atrocious!
Women being sexually violated in their workplaces, streets and homes; women being murdered in their homes and even in places of safety; children being victims of murder at the hands of their fathers. We have indeed reached that place of #NO EXCUSE; there can no longer be an excuse for violating other people’s rights; there can no longer be an excuse for harmful societal beliefs and practices; there can no longer be an excuse for impunity, where perpetrators get away with their actions because of lack of action in the community and lack of reporting; there can no longer be an excuse for not implementing laws that are meant to protect human rights of women, children and men from all walks of life.
Violence affects children’s survival, development and school participation.”

Tomorrow marks the final day of the 16 Days of Activism Against GBV and Human Rights Day.
Let us take this moment to honor survivors and remember those we have lost. Together, we can build a future free from violence.