Women protest about killing of Rehoboth mother

Rehoboth women under the leadership of the youth and women's command of the Landless People's Movement on Friday staged a public demonstration about the killing of Charmaine Saron, a resident of the town who was murdered in Windhoek two weeks ago.

Saron's body was discovered in Katutura in Windhoek on 9 June. She had been stabbed 24 times.

Saron (28) was a resident of Rehoboth and the mother of four children.

During the protest, the chairperson of the LPM Hardap women's wing, Margret du Toit, said for the past decade, women in Namibia have been faced with the severe act of femicide, mostly perpetrated by men who are supposed to protect them and provide shelter from harm physically, emotionally and mentally.

“Husbands murder wives, murders by ex-boyfriends and lovers, cases of rape of minors, and sexual molestation by older men. These are all societal ills we must reject and sternly address without relent for the future of our children,” Du Toit said. “Our society deserves a rest and healing from this scourge.”

The women called on policymakers, the police and the judiciary to treat cases of rape, child molestation and murder with a “no bail” approach until such cases are adjudicated.

They also want the judiciary to consistantly impose stiffer sentences to deter offenders from committing such crimes.

They added that counselling should be provided to suspects accused of gender-based violence and murder prior to and after their incarceration, before they are released back into society.

In addition to that, they called on the Cabinet to reintroduce religious studies in the country's primary school curriculum.

The women handed over a petition to the control prosecutor at the Rehoboth Magistrate's Court.

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