Rape incidents on the increase

The incidents of rape against women in Botswana are steadily on the increase, according to a new study published in the capital, Gaborone. A study published by the woman’s rights group, Emang Basadi, said 58 percent of rape victims are between the ages of 11 and 20, while 41 percent are under the age of 16. The study also found that 81 percent of rapists are young men aged between 16 and 30. “What is not clear is the magnitude of incidents of rape countrywide, since many women don’t report this crime,” it said, adding that contrary to popular perception, two-thirds of the rapists are unknown to their victims, while only a third of rapes were found to have been committed by men known to the women, for example, an ex-lover, a relative, a neighbour or a teacher. Emang Basadi also said that of the 444 respondents interviewed for the study, 6.8 percent reported having been forced against their will to have sex by their husbands or partners. “Many women claimed their resistance was due to the HIV-positive status of their partners,” it said. “There is still a large number of men who believe that once the marriage has sanctioned the relationship, they can have automatic sex with their wives, even if their wives don’t give their consent,” the study added. The group said that while 712 cases were reported in 1992, these had increased to 1,183 in 1997 and added that from the beginning of this year until August, 687 cases had already been reported. Emang Basadi lamented the fact that the rules pertaining to the law on rape force women to describe in detail their experiences in a court of law. “The law relating to rape, especially the rules of criminal procedure for proving the offence, leaves a lot to be desired. The law requires that all elements of the offence be proven with specific references to private parts and the sexual act,” it said. “Women, in general, are shy to speak the language the law requires and their failure to do so often leads to the acquittal of the accused. Whose interests does the law serve?”