Majority of the population believes domestic violence is a criminal matter
Nearly three in four Namibians say that domestic violence is a criminal matter that requires the involvement of law enforcement agencies to resolve, while a quarter of the population see it as a private matter that needs to be handled within the family, according to the latest Afrobarometer survey.
The survey found that while more than half believe that men are never justified in physically disciplining their wives, about four in 10 say this can be justified at least some of the time.
“Most citizens believe that the police take reported cases of gender-based violence seriously, but many reports that community members will criticize or harass the complainant for seeking help from
the police,” the report notes.
An overwhelming majority (82%) of citizens say that it is either ‘very likely”’(59%) or ‘somewhat likely’ (23%) that the police will take reported cases of gender-based violence seriously. Fewer than one in five believe that it is unlikely.
