ENDANGERED
The Botswana Police Service's Gender and Child Protection Unit has observed that rape and defilement continue to be among the most prevalent forms of gender-based violence affecting children and young people in Botswana.
In an interview with The Midweek Sun, Botswana Police Service's Gender and Child Protection Unit Director, Goitseone Ngono, shared that in 2024, police recorded 2,018 rape cases and 1,666 defilement cases nationwide.
Ngono said during the same period, the police also recorded 634 cases of child neglect and 254 cases involving the cruel treatment of children.
According to Ngono, while some categories showed a decline in 2025, the numbers remain alarming. She said Police statistics indicate that 1,922 rape cases and 1,837 defilement cases were recorded during the year.
Additionally, 362 child neglect cases and 173 cases of cruel treatment of children were reported.
The figures show the continued vulnerability of children, particularly girls, to sexual violence and abuse despite ongoing efforts by authorities to strengthen child protection measures.
Ngono noted that the statistics further reveal that children between the ages of 13 and 18 years, account for a significant proportion of victims of rape and defilement, with girls making up the majority of those affected.
“Child protection experts have consistently warned that sexual violence against minors has long-term consequences on victims, including physical, emotional, and psychological trauma.
Beyond crimes targeting children, the figures also show that domestic violence remains a serious concern.
Assaults, threats to kill, and other violent offences continue to occur within domestic settings, with intimate partner violence accounting for a significant number of reported cases,” Ngono said.
Police data show that Botswana recorded 11,287 gender-based violence cases in 2024, compared to 10,006 cases in 2025.
The specialised unit was established by the Commissioner of Police in 2021 to strengthen law enforcement responses to cases involving children and gender-based violence.
Ngono said the Gender and Child Protection Unit now operates in all 84 police stations across Botswana. Child Friendly Centres have also been established to create safe and supportive spaces where children can interact with law enforcement officers in a non-threatening environment.
Ngono noted that one of the unit's primary responsibilities is enforcing the provisions of the Children's Act of 2009, which provides legal protection for children against abuse, neglect, exploitation and other forms of harm.
She said the police continue to receive significant numbers of child protection notifications, with many cases involving neglect, weak guardianship, maltreatment and ill-treatment of children.