New report exposes roots of violence in Namibian homes

The One Economy Foundation on Friday launched Problematic Mindsets Volume II, a study revealing how harmful gender beliefs and emotional suppression among men are fuelling violence in Namibian homes and communities.

The study, launched during the Spark RX Youth Health Innovation Summit at the Be Free Youth Campus in Windhoek, builds on the first report released in 2020.

It covers four regions and five correctional facilities, involving 235 survivors, perpetrators and frontline professionals.

Health minister Esperance Luvindao, who officiated at the launch, said many young people still face major barriers to accessing healthcare, especially women.

“Ultimately, we’re trying to get to 100%. Many young people have health questions they can’t ask their doctors, either because they don’t have access or the doctors don’t have time. You can give advice, but if someone still has to travel long distances for care, you haven’t solved the problem,” she said.

Luvindao said this gap has inspired new efforts to bring health services closer to communities.

The study found that 90% of survivors knew their perpetrators, and that most violence occurred in intimate relationships. It also highlights substance use, financial dependency and cultural expectations of male dominance as key drivers of gender-based violence (GBV).

One Economy Foundation technical advisor Veronica Theron says the findings call for urgent action.

“This report is more than data; it is a call to action. GBV and violence against children are not inevitable — they are preventable if we invest in survivor-centred support and break the cycle of problematic mindsets,” she says.

The foundation’s director of resource mobilisation, Mavis Elias, says the report provides crucial evidence that can shape national policy.

“The summit brought together professionals from different sectors to discuss the findings. I encourage everyone to read the report because it contains important insights that can inform national health and social policy,” Elias says.

The report also documents the experiences of female inmates whose histories of prolonged abuse often preceded their offences.

The One Economy Foundation called for a collective national shift from viewing violence as an individual act to recognising it as a broader societal issue.

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