Windhoek – Superintendent Bibi Kolokwe of the Windhoek City Police’s Victim Support Unit has noted a significant increase in men reporting cases of violence, indicating the success of their community-policing-oriented approach to gender-based violence (GBV). Kolokwe highlighted that, traditionally, out of 100 domestic violence cases, 97 were reported by women and girls. However, there’s a shift now with more men speaking out against GBV. This change is attributed to the City Police’s use of community policing strategies to tackle violence and GBV in the capital.
According to Namibian Press Agency (NAMPA), since the integration of gender-based violence and violence against women into their policing practices, there has been a noticeable decline in physical abuse cases. She emphasized that public education on GBV, inspired by methods from international counterparts like the Canadian police, has led to people reporting emotional abuse, often a precursor to physical violence. Kolokwe shared these insights during the launch of a GBV campaign in Windhoek, underscoring the role of the victim support unit in assisting victims and fostering family harmony.