Windhoek youth tackle nightlife safety at One Economy #Befree Day Club

One Economy Foundation, through its Befree Movement, hosted a #Befree Day Club to address safety and risky behaviours associated with nightlife.

Launched in Windhoek on Sunday under the theme ‘Navigating the Nightlife’, the club created a platform for open dialogue and awareness among the youth.

Young people met their peers in similar social spaces, who provided information on issues like drink spiking, consent, road safety and sexual health.

BeFree Youth campus member Aletta Tjindovi shared an account of an attempted drink-spiking incident involving her friend.

“Young people should always remain vigilant and look out for each other,” she urged.

Television and radio personality Paul da Prince echoed her sentiments, saying young people should look out for each other’s drinks.

“The best way to protect yourself is to always have your drink with you at all times. We all come to nightlife spaces with different motives,” Da Prince said.

Jevelin Nowases, an intern social worker at the #BeFree Youth campus, explained the importance of consent, noting that it should be clear, freely given and can be reversed at any time.

She advised guests not to allow alcohol to influence their decision-making.

“While the age of consent in Namibia is 16, anyone more than three years older than a child of 16 years old is guilty of a crime,” she said.

Sergeant Lawrentius Jacobs urged guests to look out for symptoms of drink spiking, such as dizziness, slurred speech, and unusual erratic behaviour.

Jacobs advised the youth to inform others if they notice these symptoms, and to seek medical treatment to counter the effects.

The dialogue follows reports of drink-spiking and related crimes, prompting calls for vigilance and collective responsibility among young people.

One Economy, through the #BeFree Cares Clinic, pledged support services for youth beyond nightlife spaces as part of its efforts to promote safety, well-being and responsible behaviour among the youth

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