SECOND QUARTER GENDER BASED VIOLENCE DATA ANALYSIS-2023
July 26, 2023 – During the second quarter of 2023 a total of 9,988 cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) were reported countrywide compared to 7,589 GBV cases recorded in the second quarter of 2022 indicating an increase by 2,399 cases translating to a 31.61%.
Out of the 9,988 cases reported, 7,321 were Criminal cases while 2,667 were non-criminal cases translating to 73.3% and 26.7% respectively. Twenty-nine (29) were Murder cases.
Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of GBV cases with 1,722. The 2023 Second quarter Gender Based Violence Disaggregated Data indicates that 2,449 child victims were abused countrywide representing 24.5% of all the victims of Gender Based Violence.
Out of the 2,449 children, 1,830 were girls representing 74.7% while 619 were boys representing 25.3%. 5,828 were women and 1,711 were men abused countrywide representing 58.4% and 17.1% respectively.
A total of 7,659 females representing 76.7% and 2,330 males representing 23.3% were abused during the period under review countrywide.
The Zambia Police Act No. 14 of 1999 mandates VSU officers to provide professional counseling to victims of crime & to offenders. The 2023 Second quarter statistical report indicates that a total number of 8,686 or 86.9% were counseled by Victim Support Unit officers countrywide. 6,043 or 69.6% counseled were under criminal cases category whereas 2,643 or 30.4% were counseled under the non-criminal cases category.
Out of 6,043 counseled criminal cases, 3,709 or 61.4% broken as follows: 2,197 or 59.2% were women, 846 or 22.8% were girls ,390 or 10.5% were men and 276 or 7.4% were boys. 2,334 or 38.6% were offenders in which 294 or 12.6% were men, 1,286 or 55.1% were women, 190 or 8.1% were boys and 564 or 24.2% were girls.
Out of 2,643, counseled in the non-criminal case category, 1,539 or 58.2% were women, 697 or 26.4% were men and 181 or 6.8% were boys and 226 or 8.5% girls respectively.
Under forms of abuse in the criminal case category, the highest reports received were under Physical abuse totaling 3,957 translating to 54% against 3,085 cases recorded in 2022 showing an increase by 872 cases or 28.3% increase. 1,707 Economic abuse reports were recorded translating to 23.3% against 1,348 in 2022 showing an increase by 359 cases or 26.6% increase, 1,013 Sexual abuses translating to 13.8% were recorded against 771 cases in 2022 showing an increase by 242 cases or 31.4% increase. 641Emotional Abuse translating to 8.8% were recorded against 374 cases in 2022 showing an increase by 267 cases or 41.7% increase.
Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of GBV criminal cases with 1,722 cases translating to 23.5%, followed by Copperbelt Province with 1,133 cases translating to 15.5%. Tazara Division recorded the lowest GBV criminal cases with 20 cases translating to 0.3%. GBV Criminal Statistics from the rest of the Provinces were as follows; Western Province 893 cases translating to 12.2%, Luapula Province 790 translating to 10.8%, Central Province 701 cases translating to 9.6%, Eastern Province 594 cases translating to 8.1%, Southern Province 590 cases translating to 8.1%, Mchinga Province 443 cases translating to 4.7%, North Western Province 341 cases translating to 4.6%, Northern Province 149 cases translating to 2% and Airport Division 45 cases translating to 0.6%.
The 2023 GBV Criminal Report shows that 1,013 Sexual offenses were recorded representing 13.8% of all the reported cases against 771 cases reported in 2022 showing an increase by 242 cases translating to 31.4%. Out of these 1,013 cases, 757 victims were girls translating to 74.7%, 227victims were women translating to 22.4%, 26 victims were boys translating to 2.6%, whilst 3 victims were men translating to 0.3%.
A total of 712 cases of Child defilement translating to 70.3% were recorded, of which 708 were girls representing 99.4% and 4 boys translating to 0.6%.
Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of child defilement cases with 218 cases translating to 30.6% of all child defilement cases reported country wide. Southern Province recorded 113 cases each translating to 15.9%, followed by Eastern Province with 85 cases translating to 11.9%.Central Province recorded 67 cases translating to 9.4%, Copperbelt recorded 58 cases each translating to 8.1% of all the reported defilement cases, Western and Mchinga Provinces recorded 37 cases each translating to 5.2% respectively, North-Western province recorded 35 cases representing 4.9%, Luapula Province recorded 29 translating to 4.1%, Northern recorded 27 cases translating to 3.8% and Airport Division recorded 6 cases representing 0.8% whilst Tazara Division didn’t record any no case.
Still under Sexual Offences; 137 rape cases of which 136 were women and One was a girl.30 attempted rape cases were recorded during the period under review. The country also recorded 65 cases of indecent Assault out of which 39 victims were women, 22 girls and 4 boys.18 cases of incest were recorded in which 9 victims were girls, 4 victims were women and 5 boys.
Under Physical Abuse, the country recorded 3,957 cases during the period under review translating to 54% of the reported cases, 673 victims were men translating to 17%, 2,889 cases were women translating to 73% cases, 211were boys translating to 5.3%, 184 were girls translating to 4.6% compared to 3,085 cases recorded in 2022 Second Quarter showing an increase by 872 cases translating to 28.3% increase. Out of 3,957 Physical Abuse cases 3,392 Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (OABH) cases were recorded countrywide representing 85.7% of all the reported GBV cases. Out of the 3,392 cases of Assault OABH, 2,762 translating to 81.4% were women while 630 translating to 18.6% were men.52 cases of Grievously Bodily Harm (G.B.H) were also reported during the period under review by 42 women translating to 80.8%. Seven men translating to 13.5% and three boys translating to 5.7% respectively.29 Murder cases were recorded during the period under review translating to 0.7% compared to 21 cases in the 2022 second Quarter Statistical Report recorded showing an increase by Eight cases translating to 38.1% increase. Out of 29 cases of murder recorded country wide,16 women translating to 55.2%, Six men translating to 20.7%, Five boys translating to 17.2% while Two victims were girls translating to 6.9%.One case of attempted murder comprising of a boy was recorded during the period under review against Five cases recorded in 2022 second Quarter Report showing a decrease by Four cases translating to 80% decrease. 3,392cases of Assault OABH compared to the 2022 second Quarter Report in which 2,740 cases of Assault OABH were recorded showing an increase by 652 cases translating to 23.8% increase.
Lusaka province recorded 616 cases of Assault OABH translating to 18.2% of the countrywide recorded cases, Copperbelt Province recorded 451 cases translating to 13.3%, Central Province recorded 438 cases translating 12.9%, Western Province recorded 414 cases translating to 12.2% of all Assault OAHB cases reported countrywide. Southern Province recorded 391 representing 11.5%, Eastern Province recorded 329 cases representing 9.7%.North-Western Province recorded 229 representing 6.8%. Muchinga Province recorded 220 cases representing 6.5%.Luapula Province recorded 184 cases representing 5.4%.Northern recorded 86cases translating to 2.5%.whereas Tazara and Airport Divisions recorded 20 and 14 cases translating to 0.6% and 0.4%of all the reported Assault OABH cases respectively.
One case of Human Trafficking was recorded during the period under review. The trafficked victim was a boy. The 2022 Second Quarter GBV Crime Report indicates that there was also One case of Human Trafficking involving a boy which has remained the same.
Under Economic Abuse, 1,707 cases were recorded country wide translating to 23.3%. 598 cases of Failing to Provide Necessaries of life and 852 cases of Neglecting to Provide Necessaries were recorded translating to 35% and 50% of all reported cases respectively.
Further, under Emotional or Psychological abuse, VSU recorded 641 cases translating to 8.8%. 187 cases of the use of Insulting language translating to 29.2% were recorded against 143 women translating to 76.5%, 40 men translating to 21.4%, Three girls translating to 1.6% and One boy translating to 0.5%. Further, a total of 111cases of Threatening Violence translating to 1.5% were reported by 94 women translating to 84.7%,11 men translating to 9.9%, Four boys and Two girls translating to 3.6% and1.8% respectively.
Finally, out of 7,321 GBV criminal cases reported countrywide, 1,144 cases representing 15.6% were taken to court resulting in 174 convictions translating to 15.2%, 22 acquittals or 2%, 101 withdrawals or 8.8% and 847 or 74% pending in various courts of law around the country. On the other hand 6,175 cases were not taken to court representing 84.4%, 3,365 cases are still under investigations while 2,809 cases were closed at police stations translating to 54.5% and 45.5% respectively.
A comparison with the Second Quarter of 2022 which recorded 5,583 cases against 7,321cases recorded in 2023 showing an increase of 1,738 cases or 31.1%.
Rae Hamoonga
POLICE SPOKESPERSON