93 Rapes in 2 Weeks: What’s Going Wrong in Botswana?

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is pervasive in Botswana. It continues to be one of the gravest human rights violations of our time, despite the legal protections established to combat it. An increasing number of people are reporting domestic violence, sexual assault, and femicide, underscoring the pressing need for more robust legal protection and improved accountability for offenders. Although Botswana has implemented measures in the form of the Domestic Violence Act and provisions in the Penal Code to promote the fight against GBV, these measures have fallen short of expectations and have not offered adequate assistance.

Discrepancies in Botswana’s laws allow perpetrators to go unpunished. Enforcement of protective measures like restraining orders is typically weak, making victims vulnerable to further abuse. Furthermore, social and cultural perspectives often dishearten victims from disclosing their victimization due to fear of social stigma, victim-blaming, or insufficient institutional assistance.

I think that the courts should be more victim-centered so that victims feel comfortable coming forward and their reports are taken with urgency and respect. A major issue is the laxity of sentences for GBV offenses. Offenders are frequently improperly sentenced to inadequate punishments, enabling them to rejoin society without having faced sufficient repercussions for their actions. Punishing GBV offenders with stricter and harsher laws will bring justice, so the government should ensure such law and order.

Additionally, to make the process easier and improve the handling of GBV cases, Botswana should focus on reforming how law enforcement officers respond to these cases. Victims often report being dismissed by police officials while reporting their GBV interactions, with some instances where their cases are even ignored or thrown out. There is clearly no mechanism with the object of holding officers accountable for their subpar handling of GBV cases. In my view, a separate entity should oversee the police handling of GBV cases to ensure transparency and justice for victims.

Repeat offenders must also be held accountable, along with institutions meant to prevent GBV. Comprehensive prevention programs should be jointly developed by government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and community leaders. Education and awareness campaigns should focus on changing societal attitudes that allow violence against women. Engaging men and boys in these efforts is also crucial, as they are the principal perpetrators of GBV. Changing the narrative around masculinity and power relations can ultimately curb GBV in the long run.

Botswana needs a legal framework capable of addressing GBV effectively, including the criminalization of marital rape, which will give all people the right to ownership and autonomy over their bodies, regardless of marital status. Sentencing guidelines should be aligned so that punishment for GBV perpetrators is stringent, with mandatory maximum sentences for repeat offenders.

It should be easier to obtain protection orders against the victim’s abusers, and law enforcement should act quickly when they’re violated. More shelters for survivors and mental support services are needed so victims can get the help necessary to heal and rebuild their lives. Police officers must receive special training on GBV cases: such cases should be handled with the urgency and sensitivity required.

Gender-based violence remains a major problem in Botswana. The GBV Indicators Study 2011 indicated that nearly 67% of women had experienced some form of GBV in their lifetime. Likewise, the 2017 Botswana National Relationship Study found that about 37% of women had experienced GBV, including 28% in the past 12 months. More recent reports show an alarming rise in crime rates, with 93 rapes between December 19, 2024 and January 2, 2025, and 10 of 25 murders related to GBV. These statistics demonstrate that Botswana has not yet taken meaningful steps to decrease these numbers and has collectively overlooked the protest of GBV victims, resulting in underreporting of such human rights violations. The stigma surrounding GBV in Botswana affects both male and female victims, leading to disheartening statistics.

Gender-based violence is not merely a legal concern but also a serious human rights crisis requiring urgent and reinforced action. Botswana has made some progress, but GBV will continue to shatter lives without strong laws, stricter enforcement, and a change in prevailing attitudes.

In Botswana and several other countries across Africa, gender-based violence (GBV) is still a great problem, and further laws are urgently needed to deal with the crisis. We must toughen enforcement, have policies that put survivors first, and penalize the predators to break this cycle of abuse. Laws must be enforced so that crime victims have access to speedy justice and comprehensive support. Many legislators agree that there can be no room for silence: our legal system must show zero tolerance of GBV. The zero-tolerance approach is needed to make positive changes in our society. The time has come for action and only through our legal system can we effectively safeguard lives and create a society with greater justice.