The gender based violence indicators study

Mercy Machisa

Over two thirds of women in Botswana (67%) have experienced some form of gender violence in their lifetime including partner and non-partner violence. A smaller, but still high, proportion of men admit to perpetrating violence against women. Inspired by the Commonwealth Plan of Action on Gender and Development (2005-2015) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development target of halving GBV by 2015, this research project provides the first comprehensive and comparative baseline assessment of the extent, effects and response to GBV in Botswana. A representative sample of 639 women and 590 men across Botswana completed questionnaires in their preferred local language on behaviour and experiences related to GBV. Researchers asked women about their experience of violence perpetrated by men while men were asked about their perpetration of violence against women.