Patience Makwele
Domestic violence should no longer be treated as a private family matter, with communities urged to report abuse instead of looking the other way, social worker Inotila Mwafongwe has warned.
Her call comes as more than 290 domestic violence cases were recorded in Windhoek between January and May this year, with police cautioning that the number could be higher because many victims remain reluctant to report abuse.
Mwafongwe, who has 15 years of experience in social work, said people who hear violence taking place behind closed doors should not assume it is a matter for the family to resolve.
Speaking on The Catalyst podcast, a Windhoek Observer production, she urged neighbours and other people who become aware of abuse to involve the police.
“When you hear somebody being assaulted in their home, call the police. You cannot say, ‘This is none of my business. I’m not getting involved,’” Mwafongwe said.
She said people sometimes stay out of abusive relationships because they do not want to interfere in a marriage, even when they know that violence is taking place.
“You would be the first one to attend that memorial service if you choose to ignore,” she said.
“She [the victim] can still decide whether she wants to open a case or not, but do your part and call the police.”
The discussion is featured in the fourth episode of The Catalyst, a Windhoek Observer podcast that has been drawing growing public attention for tackling difficult and thought-provoking issues affecting Namibian society.
The podcast has explored subjects ranging from fatherhood and legacy and mental health to the future of artificial intelligence in Namibia, bringing together different voices to examine issues beyond the daily news cycle.
The latest episode’s discussion on domestic violence adds another dimension to the podcast’s growing focus on conversations that affect families, communities and the country’s future.
The warning comes against a wider national GBV problem.
Acting Inspector General Anne-Marie Nainda confirmed that 4 965 gender-based violence cases were recorded nationally during the 2025/26 financial year, including 685 in Khomas.
Namibia’s Combating of Domestic Violence Act also does not limit the laying of a charge to the victim.
A person with an interest in the victim’s wellbeing may lay a charge in respect of a domestic violence offence, with the law specifically providing for people such as family members, police officers, social workers, healthcare providers, teachers and employers.
However, legal avenues do not necessarily overcome the social pressure surrounding abusive relationships.
Mwafongwe said some victims worry about how their families and communities will react if the abuse becomes known.
“Society keeps people in very bad relationships,” she said.
The issue of family pressure has also emerged in previous reporting by the Windhoek Observer.
Social worker Ndeshihafela Loini Shikongo previously told the Young Observer that victims can be pressured into silence when the person abusing them is known to the family.
“They are told not to embarrass the family. They are told not to destroy someone’s future,” Shikongo said.
Such pressure can make leaving an abusive relationship more complicated, particularly where victims depend on their partners financially or fear losing support from relatives.
Mwafongwe said social workers can advise and support victims, but ultimately cannot make decisions on their behalf.
She said some cases require prolonged intervention, with practitioners sometimes continuing to work with victims for months as they try to find a way out of unsafe relationships.
She further stressed that this does not only affect women but also extends beyond.
“They are men who get physically assaulted, they are men who get raped by their partners,” Mwafongwe said, challenging the assumption that domestic violence only affects women.
She also called for greater attention to boys and how they are taught to deal with emotions.
“Allow your boy to know how to express himself. Let him cry,” she said.
Youth advocate and men’s engagement specialist Daniel Natangwe Shikongo has similarly argued that boys need to be taught about respect, boundaries and consent rather than leaving them to learn about relationships from peers and social media.
“We spend a lot of time teaching girls how to protect themselves, but not enough time teaching boys about respect, boundaries and consent,” he said.
Mwafongwe also urged men to challenge friends who boast about violence against their partners instead of treating such behaviour as a joke.
“This is not funny. We’re not laughing about that. What you are doing is incorrect,” she said.
The Windhoek City Police has likewise urged neighbours, friends and relatives to report suspected domestic violence, particularly where victims may be too afraid to approach authorities themselves.
For Mwafongwe, intervention does not mean taking control of a victim’s choices. It means refusing to ignore violence when it is happening.
“She can still decide whether she wants to open a case or not, but do your part and call the police.”
The full conversation with Mwafongwe is available in the latest episode of The Catalyst, the Windhoek Observer’s podcast, where the discussion goes beyond the headlines to explore some of the social issues shaping Namibia today.
