I went to the WCPU in Windhoek last week to see for myself.  It’s housed at the Katutura State Hospital, one of the two public hospitals in the capital.  I was able to take pictures of the outside but not anything inside - the reaction when I asked to take photos was of horror (even though I made it clear that I would only take pictures of rooms, not people).

Katutura State Hospital

Katutura State Hospital

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Women walking by the WCPU

It was a bit daunting first walking in, as the two women at the reception desk were less than welcoming.  I can only hope they are more sympathetic to the people coming in who actually need the WCPU’s services.  They directed me to the person in charge, a police officer, who was much friendlier and offered to show me around.  I accepted, and I believe he showed me every room in the building.

The space was sizeable.  Most of the rooms were offices for social workers and other employees.  While not fancy, the rooms were fairly clean, well-lit, and cheerful.  A lot of the walls had large Disney characters painted on them.  I saw three rooms specifically for the use of women and children needing services.  There was an interview room for children, colorfully-decorated and filled with toys, books, and dolls.  Looking around it made me sad that there was the need for such a room, but I’m glad it’s there for those who need it.  The medical examination room seemed reasonably well-equipped to my inexpert eye, and my guide even showed me a stack of four rape kits on the table.  Finally he showed me the waiting room where women and kids who flee their homes in the night can come and wait for WCPU staff.  It had a table, chairs, and a single mattress with a blanket thrown over it.  It was clear that this is a temporary space.

The WCPUs do not act as long-term shelters, and there is only one such shelter in the country.  It is also in Windhoek.  Most women and children requiring longer-term shelter are put up in hospitals or other makeshift lodging.  This is not the fault of the WCPUs but it does indicate a lack in the system.

Recently I met with Veronica Theron, who works at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare.  She is a trained social worker who has worked for 15 years in the fields of gender-based violence and child protection, and is now in charge of the social workers at all the WCPUs.  She admitted that many of the WCPUs were not well-equipped: that they needed vehicles to respond to incidents, for example.  She also said that since there are only 15 units in such a large country, they are only in the larger towns and cities.  Women and children in rural areas may not be able to reach them, and the police in those areas may not be well-trained on issues of gender-based violence and child abuse.  She saw a need for more funding to improve the WCPUs and their reach.  She sees the necessity, too, because she confirmed the statistics that I’d been seeing - that violence against women has been steadily increasing since independence.  Every year there are more rapes and more assaults.  She also made an observation that I had not yet heard from any publications or officials: that cases of rape and domestic physical violence have been increasing in severity and brutality since the Combating of Rape Act and the Combating of Domestic Violence Act were passed in 2000 and 2003, respectively.  Because the penalties for these crimes are now harsher than they were, perpetrators are more likely to attempt to kill the victim in order to get rid of the evidence.  She specifically mentioned child rape cases in this context.

Veronica Theron

Veronica Theron

When I asked if she thought there was a problem with guns and domestic violence, she said something I found surprising but that in retrospect is obvious: that guns are much more often involved in cases of domestic abuse involving wealthy families.  This is because these are the people that can afford to buy a gun for protection.  The weapon of choice for a poorer abuser would more likely be a knife, although he may threaten her, saying he will buy or borrow a gun.  She said that women in wealthier families, too, are more likely to be isolated from supportive family and friends (specifically, she mentioned the wives of diplomats, far from their homes), so the psychological abuse can be far worse.  This often includes death threats.

Previously, I had interviewed Detective Chief Inspector Rosalia Shatilweh, the National Coordinator for the WCPUs for the Namibian Police.  I asked her what she thought the scope of the problem is here in Namibia, and here is her answer:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKIiejdICE8

In the meantime, I spoke with a police detective who worked in a WCPU for 11 years (she asked me not to use her name in this blog).   When I asked her about domestic violence cases involving guns, she told me the story of a woman whose abuser used to clean his gun in front of her, or sleep with his gun under his pillow, when he wanted to intimidate her.

I asked her how it was for her personally, to do this work for so long.  She immediately responded that it was “emotionally draining” and that it had had a “huge impact” on her and her marriage.  In the year or so since she left that position and started doing general detective duties, she said, her husband has noticed big changes in her; specifically, he said that she has been much more relaxed since leaving the WCPU.  This despite the fact that she voluntarily participated in group therapy with the other staff of the WCPU while she was there.

This last part of the conversation was of particular interest to me as I have been thinking about the impact of the work I am doing here on my own mental and emotional well-being.  There is no doubt that reading page after page of horrific stories of rape, assault, and murder is disturbing, and hearing the stories directly even more so.  However, it does sometimes feel a little overly indulgent, even selfish, to worry about myself when I am not suffering directly.  The women I am reading about and meeting are the ones who are really going through difficult times.  Recently though, I have been receiving some reminders that I should take care of myself, and not just from this police detective.  Yesterday I met a woman who is doing her Ph.D. research on domestic violence here, and she warned me that I must make sure I have support, and that I should take time to relax and enjoy life.  “Believe me,” she said, “I know.”  Both of these conversations serve as a reminder that violence is far-reaching, and affects not only the victims, but also their caretakers and advocates.

Don’t worry, friends and family, I am taking care of myself!  I have the weekend to take a time out.  I just wish it was possible for the victims of these crimes to have the same opportunity.