Maria David
Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Namibia Correctional Service (NCS) is falling short in reporting cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), hindering the process of holding perpetrators accountable.
As per North Western and Eastern Regional Commissioner Eliakim Shikongo of the Namibia Correctional Service, only a total of 20 correctional officers at NCS have reported being either subjected to or victims of GBV.
Shikongo reveals that many correctional officers are reluctant to report GBV cases, emphasizing that it’s crucial to understand that men in uniform are not immune to GBV offenses.
“The NCS has a division, the Employee Assistance Program, responsible for promoting individual well-being. Thus, cases of GBV are usually addressed by this division,” he said.
Shikongo underscores the issue of masculinity, stating that in Namibia, it has been associated with misconceptions leading to devastating consequences such as suicides, passion killings, and even men-on-men murders.
He points out that the NCS’s mandate is to provide safe, secure, and humane custody of offenders, aiming to rehabilitate and reintegrate them into the community.
Currently, the NCS houses 4,677 offenders, with 4,538 of them being men. The majority of these offenders are sentenced for gender-based violence-related offenses, including murder, assault, rape, and more.
Shikongo notes that, in response, the NCS has introduced various rehabilitation programs for offenders aimed at addressing the factors that led to these offenses.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services reported that between August 2022 and June 2023, Namibia recorded 632 suicide cases, with 511 victims being men.
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