Child marriage, child neglect, and people taking the law into their own hands are some of the prevalent issues in the Kavango East Region.
This was revealed by some law enforcement officers in Rundu.
The Regional Commander of Kavango East, Commissioner Johanna Ngondo, spoke about some of the widespread issues in the region during an engagement with nbc management.
"Issues of early child marriage are taking place, and it's an issue that not only the police have to address. It requires collective effort from all the stakeholders, be IT community, ministry, agencies, schools, or education. Everybody needs to come on board."
Ngondo says even though teenage pregnancy is another concern, community members are reluctant to report the perpetrators.
"You'd find parents or elders not willing to report those types of issues. That's why, even if you look at the records of Kavango East and West, teenage pregnancy statistics are at a high level. Once this is picked up, the parents will say, If you have to report the father of that child, who is going to support that unborn child? Who is going to look after that baby? That's the understanding, and it requires continuous education."
She also touched on the problem of mothers taking their children with them when they go drinking.
"We normally take our children to drinking places, which are classified under the element of GBV. Although it is not violence, it is psychologically torturing that child. For the little one growing up, that upbringing can have an effect as he or she grows because he or she has been growing in an environment that is not conducive."
The Regional Crime Investigation Coordinator, Bonifatius Kanyetu, says rape cases are on the rise.
The GBV protection sub-division in the region is currently running a programme aimed at educating women on their own safety.
"Especially now that we have the evil of alcohol abuse and so on. People want to party until late, but you are not concerned about your own safety. The physical nature of women makes them weak points, and they fall victim. Some of these things can be prevented."
Deputy Commissioner Kanyetu says rape statistics will be compiled after the programme is done to evaluate whether it had an impact or not.
He also touched on the act of people taking the law into their own hands.
"There has been an increase in taking the law into our own hands. When suspects are being arrested by members of the community and are badly assaulted. We make a bad case from a good one because the person committed an offence, but the fact that that person is being brutally assaulted dilutes the whole issue because you can also be responsible and you will be arrested."