Gender Based Violence cases rise in Zambia

 KALOBWE BWALYA  writes @sunzambian ABOUT 8, 557 cases of gender based violence (GBV) were reported countrywide during the fourth quarter of 2020 compared with 7, 640 cases reported countrywide during the quarter of 2020 showing an increase of 917cases representing a 10.7 percent increase. And the fourth quarter 2020 disaggregated data indicates that 1, 723 juveniles were abused countrywide representing 20%  of which 75% were females  while 425 were males representing 25% of all abused juvenile victims respectively. Police spokesperson Esther Katongo however disclosed that about 5,121 female adults and 1, 713 males’ adults were abused countrywide representing 60% and 20% respectively, while in terms of gender vulnerability, a total of 6, 419 females representing 75% were abused during the fourth quarter of the 2020 as compared with 5, 788 females during the third quarter of 2020. Ms Katongo also said 787 cases of sexual offices were recorded representing 09% of all the reported cases and out these cases , 622 victims were female juveniles adults  translating to 0.4% , while 873 cases of sexual abuse offences were recorded representing 11% of the reported case in the third quarter of 2020. She further explained that a total of 586 cases of defilement translating to 07% were recorded of which 585 were female juvenile and 01% case of male juvenile was recorded, while a total of 714 cases of child defilement were recorded during the third quarter of 2020 comprising 713 female victims and 01% male victim, therefore showing a decreaseof 128 cases. Lusaka province recorded the highest number of child defilement cases with 257 translating to 44% of the child defilement cases reported country wide, while Eastern province recorded 63 cases , Central province with 62 , southern 53 , and copper belt province recorded 39 cases of all the reported defilement.     North Western province  recorded 38 cases , Muchinga 23 , Western 19, Luapula recorded 17, Northern 09 representing , Airport division recorded  01 case, said Ms Katongo. Meanwhile, Ms Katongo said 106 rape and 13 attempted rape cases were recorded during the same period review, while 118 cases of rape were recorded , showing a decrease of 12 cases translating to 10% decrease.  Ms Katongo also said about 22 murder cases were recorded in the country out of which 17 were female victims representing 77% and three were male victims, while during the third quarter of 2020, 25 murder cases were recorded representing 0.3% of all the reported cases showing a decrease of 03 cases. She also disclosed that   under physical abuse the country recorded 2, 363 cases of which 338 were male victim adults, while 1,817 were against female adults against 121 female juveniles and 87 were against male juveniles. She also said out of 2, 363 were physical abuse cases and 2,049 cases of assault were recorded countrywide and Lusaka province recorded the highest number of assault of 547, followed by Central with 340 cases. And Ms Katongo said a total of 8,897 comprising 5, 598 victims and 3299 offenders were offered counselling by the victims support unit offices and one case of human trafficking was recorded in Lusaka.