Representatives from police, local associations, churches and government spoke at the “Take Back the Night” meeting in Outjo d. December 6, 2023.
Take Back the Night
Namibia: Most assaults on women take place at night and the perpetrator is almost always someone they know well. Rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence are referred to as ‘crimes of silence’ because they are not brought to the attention of the authorities and are often covered up. In Outjo, local grassroots organization Pots of Hope brings the abuse to light.
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Police at the front of the march signaled both protection and support and emphasized the need for cooperation between civil society and authorities to promote security.
Pastor Adams spoke about not forgetting the victims of gender-based violence. By keeping their stories alive, the community can break the silence and help prevent future tragedies.
THE MARCH:
In late 2023, 75 people march through the small Namibian town of Outjo armed with placards with messages about women’s right to a life free from violent abuse.
They do this in connection with the event “Take Back the Night” organized by Pots of Hope.
Men, women and children walk side by side, showing that the fight against gender-based violence is a collective responsibility.
A police convoy at the forefront signals both protection and support and emphasizes the importance of cooperation between civil society and law enforcement.
“As we walked, more and more people joined us,” says Alexia Naris, who as the leader of Pots of Hope was at the front of the march.
She has been active in the fight for equality for most of her life, especially in the northwest of the country where Outjo is located, and she wants society to remember the victims and their survivors.
“To honor and remember one of the city’s murdered women, we went to the house where she was killed by her boyfriend two years ago.
Like most such crimes, it happened at night, and the killer wheeled the mangled body in a wheelbarrow to the murdered woman’s birthplace. The mother found her the next morning.” Alexia Naris explains.
Head of Department in the Prime Minister’s Office Nangula Mbako (left). Second from left is a mother who found her murdered daughter in a wheelbarrow one morning. The second from the right was stabbed by his girlfriend. On the right is Alexia Naris, initiator and director of Pots of Hope.
The meeting in Outjo was a good example of how you can engage all parts of a community in efforts to change the traditions and structures that perpetuate violence in society.
THE MEETING:
Before the march, Pots of Hope had called a meeting in the community center, and among the participants were both victims of violence and their families – including the mother of the murdered woman.
There were also representatives from youth organizations, police and churches. From the capital Windhoek came Head of Department in the Prime Minister’s Office Nangula Mbako, and they all agreed that action must now be taken against gender-based violence.
One of the battered women came forward and shared her story, which is both unusual and brave in a small community where everyone knows each other.
In 2019, the woman was attacked and stabbed by her boyfriend at the time.
“Today, she walks with crutches and is clearly marked by the violence, while the perpetrator has never been punished,” says Alexia Naris, who hopes that the local police have gained knowledge and courage to do something about the legal situation for women in the city through their participation in the meeting.
At the meeting, the chief of police encouraged victims and witnesses to report abuse and the woman who had shared her story was encouraged to reopen the case with the police.
“Reclaim the right of women to be safe in all places, at all times”
The fight for a more inclusive and safer society requires the participation of all genders and age groups.
THE CONVERSATION:
Pots of Hope is part of the Spor Media-supported project Peoples Choice – Peoples Voice, which creates more inclusive communities through dialog between popular, public and private actors.
In Outjo, Alexia Naris finds that collaboration with the police is crucial for safety, but in reality, everyone needs to talk – including children and young people who both experience violence and are at risk of abuse themselves.
She helps organize dialogue meetings for children and young people and is shocked by how difficult many of them have it. Children as young as nine have attempted suicide, and in a group of 18 young people, 15 of them had considered taking their own lives.
“They have witnessed so much violence and often they have no one to talk to.
That’s why it’s a relief for them to be able to talk about rape and other physical and psychological abuse, and many ask for more opportunities for dialog,” says Alexia Naris.
Pots of Hope has local volunteers who go house to house and talk to people. Sometimes they help report abuse, as many cases go unreported.
In some cases, this is because the abuser is the breadwinner and the family is dependent on the income.
“In the old days, you could sit in the dark around the fire and tell stories and everyone felt safe. We must rediscover the good elements of our traditions and culture and do away with oppression.
Some men see their spouses as their property because they have paid ‘lobola’ (bride price).
That’s why more young people today are deciding to marry without tradition to get away from the idea that you can own another human being,” concludes Alexia Naris.
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Take back
the night
Namibia: Most assaults on women take place at night and the perpetrator is almost always someone they know well. Rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence are referred to as ‘crimes of silence’ because they are not brought to the attention of the authorities and are often covered up. In Outjo, local grassroots organization Pots of Hope brings the abuse to light.
*
Police at the front of the march signaled both protection and support and emphasized the need for cooperation between civil society and authorities to promote security.
Pastor Adams spoke about not forgetting the victims of gender-based violence. By keeping their stories alive, the community can break the silence and help prevent future tragedies.
THE MARCH:
In late 2023, 75 people march through the small Namibian town of Outjo armed with placards with messages about women’s right to a life free from violent abuse.
They do this in connection with the event “Take Back the Night” organized by Pots of Hope.
Men, women and children walk side by side, showing that the fight against gender-based violence is a collective responsibility.
A police convoy at the forefront signals both protection and support and emphasizes the importance of cooperation between civil society and law enforcement.
“As we walked, more and more people joined us,” says Alexia Naris, who as the leader of Pots of Hope was at the front of the march.
She has been active in the fight for equality for most of her life, especially in the northwest of the country where Outjo is located, and she wants society to remember the victims and their survivors.
“To honor and remember one of the city’s murdered women, we went to the house where she was killed by her boyfriend two years ago.
Like most such crimes, it happened at night, and the killer wheeled the mangled body in a wheelbarrow to the murdered woman’s birthplace. The mother found her the next morning.” Alexia Naris explains.
Head of Department in the Prime Minister’s Office Nangula Mbako (left). Second from left is a mother who found her murdered daughter in a wheelbarrow one morning. The second from the right was stabbed by his girlfriend. On the right is Alexia Naris, initiator and director of Pots of Hope.
The meeting in Outjo was a good example of how you can engage all parts of a community in efforts to change the traditions and structures that perpetuate violence in society.
THE MEETING:
Before the march, Pots of Hope had called a meeting in the community center, and among the participants were both victims of violence and their families – including the mother of the murdered woman.
There were also representatives from youth organizations, police and churches. From the capital Windhoek came Head of Department in the Ministry of State Nangula Mbako, and they all agreed that action must now be taken against gender-based violence.
One of the battered women came forward and shared her story, which is both unusual and brave in a small community where everyone knows each other.
“In 2019, the woman was attacked and stabbed by her then boyfriend.
Today, she walks with crutches and is clearly marked by the violence, while the perpetrator has never been punished,” says Alexia Naris, who hopes that the local police, through their participation in the meeting, have gained knowledge and courage to do something about the legal situation for women in the city.
At the meeting, the chief of police encouraged victims and witnesses to report abuse and the woman who had shared her story was encouraged to reopen the case with the police.
“Demand women’s right to be safe everywhere at all times.”
The fight for a more inclusive and safer society requires the participation of all genders and age groups.
THE CONVERSATION:
Pots of Hope is part of the Spor Media-supported project Peoples Choice – Peoples Voice, which creates more inclusive communities through dialog between popular, public and private actors.
In Outjo, Alexia Naris finds that collaboration with the police is crucial for safety, but in reality, everyone needs to talk – including children and young people who both experience violence and are at risk of abuse themselves.
She helps organize dialogue meetings for children and young people and is shocked by how difficult many of them have it. Children as young as nine have attempted suicide, and in a group of 18 young people, 15 of them had considered taking their own lives.
“They have witnessed so much violence and often they have no one to talk to.
That’s why it’s a relief for them to be able to talk about rape and other physical and psychological abuse, and many ask for more opportunities for dialog,” says Alexia Naris.
Pots of Hope has local volunteers who go house to house and talk to people. Sometimes they help report abuse, as many cases go unreported.
In some cases, this is because the abuser is the breadwinner and the family is dependent on the income.
“In the old days, you could sit in the dark around the fire and tell stories and everyone felt safe.
We must rediscover the good elements of our traditions and culture and do away with oppression.
Some men see their spouses as their property because they have paid ‘lobola’ (bride price).
That’s why more young people today are deciding to marry without tradition to get away from the idea that you can own another human being,” concludes Alexia Naris.
*
