The Namibian Police recorded more than 18 500 gender-based violence (GBV) cases countrywide during the 2025/26 financial year.
The figures were revealed during the third edition of the Namibia National Women’s Conference held at Swakopmund on Saturday, where Zambezi police commander commissioner Julia Sakuwa-Neo addressed delegates on the impact of GBV in Namibia.
Sakuwa-Neo said incidents of GBV, domestic violence, sexual offences, emotional abuse and other crimes against women and children remain a serious concern for the police.
“Behind every statistic is a human story, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a wife or a child whose life has been affected by trauma and suffering,” she said.
She said the police’s responsibility extends beyond investigating cases and arresting offenders, adding that law enforcement has a duty to protect vulnerable people, provide professional victim-centred services and work with communities to prevent violence.
“The Namibian Police remains deeply concerned by incidents of violence committed against women and girls,” Sakuwa-Neo said.
She said the police continue to strengthen their response through specialised units, victim-friendly services, community policing initiatives and collaboration with government institutions, civil society organisations, traditional authorities, faith-based organisations and development partners.
“While law enforcement plays a critical role, policing alone cannot eliminate violence. Sustainable solutions require collective responsibility,” she said.
Sakuwa-Neo called on communities to reject the culture of silence surrounding abuse, saying every citizen has a responsibility to report suspected cases of violence.
“Violence thrives where communities remain silent,” she said.
She encouraged parents to raise children who value respect, compassion and equality, saying boys should be taught that strength is demonstrated through responsibility, self-control and respect for women.
The commissioner said empowering women does not diminish men, but instead strengthens families, workplaces and communities.
“We must become ambassadors of positive masculinity by rejecting violence, promoting healthy relationships and serving as role models for younger generations,” she said.
The conference was organised by the Progressive Men Empowerment Organisation of Namibia and focused on addressing challenges affecting women and girls, including GBV, domestic violence and relationship challenges.
The police said it remains committed to working with communities and stakeholders to strengthen prevention efforts, adding that preventing violence requires partnerships beyond law enforcement.
The conference’s founder and president, Fillemon Amoolongo, says discussions focused on empowering women with knowledge and strategies to reduce their vulnerability to GBV.
Amoolongo says women should consider factors beyond financial stability and physical appearance when choosing partners, including how individuals were raised, their values and whether they demonstrate respect and responsibility.
He says understanding a person’s background and behaviour could assist women in making decisions that prioritise their safety.
“When a person is well brought up, they are not able to kill, they are not able to rape, they are not able to sacrifice you. They will always consider your emotions and your feelings in their decision making,” Amoolongo says.
He says the conference focused on behavioural change and discussed mechanisms women can use to protect themselves from violence and abuse.
“The conference was really touching on the behavioural change of women and how to protect themselves from being the victims of killing and all sorts of sexual abuse that women are facing,” he says.
Amoolongo says attendance at this year’s conference was encouraging, and he announced that the organisation plans to host the next edition in another region.
He says the organisation aims to continue creating platforms where communities can discuss GBV prevention and promote safer environments for women.
