When Silence Speaks: Rethinking Bystander Responsibility in the Face of GBV in Botswana

As Elie Wiesel once warned,

“We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

These words, while uttered in another time, ring louder than ever in present-day Botswana, where the crisis of gender-based violence (GBV) continues to demand our urgent, unapologetic attention.

In our homes, classrooms, workplaces, and churches, GBV is not only present—it is normalized, silenced, or dismissed. According to the 2022 UN Women report, 67% of women in Botswana have experienced some form of GBV. And yet, despite this sobering statistic, many cases remain buried under layers of shame, fear, and complicity.

At the heart of this crisis lies a quiet, powerful force: the bystander effect. Coined by psychologists Latané and Darley (1968), the bystander effect describes the tendency for individuals to avoid taking action when others are present, assuming someone else will intervene. In the context of GBV, this becomes dangerous. The more people witness abuse and do nothing, the more emboldened perpetrators become, knowing that silence will likely shield them.

This is not just a psychological issue, it is structural and cultural. In Botswana, entrenched beliefs about gender roles, privacy in domestic affairs, and masculinity contribute to an ecosystem that allows GBV to thrive unchecked. Gender Links’ 2018 study highlights how fear of retaliation, cultural silence, and gendered expectations inhibit people, especially women, from reporting abuse or stepping in.

In university settings, where young people are still learning how to assert and protect boundaries, this effect becomes painfully visible. In one disturbing case, a man repeatedly violated campus spaces, yet despite multiple complaints, the only consequence he faced was a campus ban. He retained his parastatal job, while survivors were left to question whether their safety meant anything. When institutions fail to act, what message does that send about whose safety is prioritized?

Understanding the Bystander Effect’s Mechanics

• Diffusion of Responsibility: We assume someone else will intervene.
• Evaluation Apprehension: We fear social judgment if we act.
• Pluralistic Ignorance: If no one else reacts, we doubt if there’s even a problem.

These factors breed silence and, ultimately, complicity. But what if we transformed this silence into intervention?

Responding with the 5 D’s
Effective intervention doesn’t mean placing yourself or others in danger. The 5 D’s approach, widely adopted by anti-violence programs, offers tools to respond safely:

1. Direct – Speak out when it’s safe to do so.
2. Distract – Create a diversion to interrupt harmful behavior.
3. Delegate – Find someone in authority to step in.
4. Delay – Check in with the victim later.
5. Document – Record the incident if safe and lawful.

Beyond individual responsibility lies a call for structural transformation. Community-based, culturally aware programs, like those of Gender Activism Botswana, with YWLC leading the student movement, demonstrate how education, allyship, and advocacy can create ripples of change. This feminist action-based research initiative empowers young women and challenges patriarchy through dialogue.

Moreover, true change requires more than NGOs and clubs. It requires the state, faith leaders, educators, and everyday Batswana. We must confront the toxic masculinity and victim-blaming that define too many of our responses to GBV. These attitudes do not appear by accident, they are products of a patriarchal system that teaches boys that strength means domination, and teaches girls that silence is survival.

Silence Can No Longer Be Our Default
This issue is no longer about the private sphere. GBV is a public health issue, a human rights issue, and a developmental issue. It touches every part of our society, from the economy to education, from the safety of our children to the dignity of our elders. Minister Lesego Chombo recently echoed this urgency, asking Batswana to look inward:

“What are you doing to combat GBV?”

Her words serve as a challenge and an invitation to act.

We must build an ecosystem where silence is no longer rewarded, and intervention is normalized. In Botswana, we often say “motho ke motho ka batho.” A person is a person through others. This principle must guide our actions—not just in theory, but in real, courageous practice.

Let us be clear: not every intervention has to be grand. Sometimes it is a whisper. A helping hand. A report. A question. A refusal to laugh at a sexist joke. Sometimes it is simply believing someone when they say, “this happened to me.”

Because the truth is this: everyone sees—but not everyone speaks.
And it is in that silence that violence finds shelter.

About The Author 

Malaika Letshabo is a law student, feminist, and human rights advocate whose work and voice speak to the heart of justice. Grounded in a passion for women’s and children’s rights, her journey is shaped by both intellect and intuition. From her creative writing to legal activism, she channels purpose through every pursuit. Her involvement with organizations such as YWLC reflects her commitment to leadership, equity, and transformative change. Through academic advancement and multiple endeavors across advocacy and policy spaces, Malaika continues to carve out space where law, storytelling, and activism meet, always with clarity, courage, and care.