‘Women and children not safe in Omusati’

Omusati police regional commander Ismael Basson says women and children are not safe in the Omusati region because of an increase in rape and sexual assault cases.

“Hardly a week passes by without a rape case being reported, perpetrated by fathers, uncles and other close male members who are supposed to be the guardian angels of these minors.

“This gives me sleepless nights, but I will not relent. The struggle will continue. Join me in this fight,” he says.

Basson says the Omusati police recorded about 88 crimes between January and July this year, with the Tsandi constituency contributing a large chunk of these crimes.

The cases range from murder to gender-based violence (GBV) and rape, he says.

Apart from these statistics, Basson says three pastors are behind bars for allegedly raping some congregants, and three boys have allegedly been raped by their own fathers.

“Many fathers are raping their own children, and grandfathers are raping their own grandchildren. Now we ask ourselves: How safe are we in our own homes?

“We are not safe any more, particularly girls. It is very painful, but it is true. These statistics are not meant to scare us, but that’s the reality on the ground and that is what is happening in the community out there. This is regarded as a serious crime because it’s not crime happening in the streets or outdoors but indoors, inside our houses,” he says.

Basson says over 80% of rape victims were raped by people they knew.

He says many families prefer keeping rape and sexual abuse incidents involving their children or relatives to themselves out of fear or trying to protect the perpetrator’s image.

Basson urges communities to protect children against sexual violence and to report any such cases to the police.