By Feni Hiveluah
The Namibian Police have investigated 116 false rape claims since 2023, according to a police report seen by Confidente, as the country continues to grapple with a wider rape crisis that has recorded 4,793 reported cases during the same period.
The figures show that while false rape claims remain a concern, they represent a small proportion of reported cases.
The broader crisis is reflected in the 925 rape cases that remain unresolved, 377 cases withdrawn by victims, and warnings from experts that economic dependence, patriarchy and institutional failures continue to prevent many survivors from accessing justice.
According to the report, the Khomas Region recorded the highest number of false rape claims during the period under review.
Oshana followed with 25 false reports, Oshikoto with 20, Ohangwena with 16, while Omusati and Otjozondjupa each recorded five false rape claims.
The police report further indicates that 377 rape cases were withdrawn by victims, with family pressure, intimidation and economic vulnerability identified as major contributing factors.
“The decision to withdraw a case ultimately remains the right of the victim or complainant, and there is little the police can do to prevent them from exercising that right. Nevertheless, police officers can advise victims of alternative options, such as consenting to the suspect being released on bail with appropriate conditions attached, rather than withdrawing the case entirely,” the report states.
While individuals can be prosecuted for intimidating victims, the police acknowledge that economic dependence remains one of the biggest barriers to justice.
In cases where the accused is the family’s main breadwinner, victims often withdraw complaints because they fear losing financial support.
The report also highlights regions facing the highest rape burden. Ohangwena recorded the highest number of rape cases at 692, including 434 cases involving minors.
Oshikoto followed with 667 cases, including 309 child victims, while Khomas recorded 574 cases, of which 195 involved minors.
Police data shows that most perpetrators are men known to their victims, with younger men being overrepresented. The majority of incidents occur in private settings, villages, informal settlements and social gatherings where supervision is limited.
By April 2026, 925 of the 4,793 reported rape cases remained unresolved.
The police attributed the backlog to several factors, including delayed reporting by victims, which often results in the loss of critical forensic evidence such as DNA, injuries and biological samples.
Other challenges include victim withdrawals caused by economic dependence, family pressure and intimidation, limited state support for victims who lose financial assistance when suspects are arrested, and delays in forensic processing and obtaining medical evidence.
The scale of the crisis has also raised questions about the role of religious institutions in addressing gender-based violence in a country where churches remain influential.
Christian Coalition of Churches in Namibia (CCCN) executive chairperson Shirley Magazi rejected claims that churches have remained silent on gender-based violence, arguing that they have been actively involved despite limited resources.
“Pastors engage congregants daily through premarital counselling, marriage counselling, men’s fellowships, women’s ministries, youth programmes, children’s ministries, pastoral visitation and individual counselling. Within these settings, issues relating to violence, healthy relationships, respect, consent, conflict resolution and family life are addressed continuously. The Church does not treat GBV as an isolated topic, but integrates prevention, discipleship and pastoral care throughout the life of the Church,” Magazi said.
Speaking to Confidente, Magazi said churches address sexual violence, abuse of power and injustice through biblical teachings and pastoral programmes.
She rejected concerns that church counselling sometimes prioritises preserving families over protecting victims, saying safeguarding families can never mean tolerating abuse or forcing victims to remain in violent relationships.
“Human dignity originates with God. Every person is created in the image and likeness of God and deserves to live free from violence, fear and abuse. The Bible unequivocally condemns violence. In fact, its standard is even higher than that of civil law,” Magazi said.
The CCCN also rejected concepts such as “toxic masculinity”, arguing that churches have long promoted responsible behaviour among men through teachings on humility, self-control, respect and accountability.
“Long before terms such as ‘toxic masculinity’ became common in public discourse, the church was teaching biblical manhood, challenging sinful behaviour and calling men to honour women as fellow bearers of God’s image,” Magazi said.
However, relationship mechanic Ngamane Karuaihe-Upi argued that Namibia’s gender-based violence crisis is deeply linked to a patriarchal society and the country’s failure to economically empower women.
“Namibia, like many other African countries, is still stuck on wanting to approach life from a patriarchal point of view. We still want to see men as providers, protectors, heads of households and breadwinners. We have done a pretty lousy job of empowering women economically, and that plays into why women will still want to subject themselves to the power circles of men,” Karuaihe-Upi said.
He argued that the absence of adequate safety nets leaves many victims with difficult choices, particularly when the arrest of an abusive partner threatens their survival.
Karuaihe-Upi further criticised the absence of dedicated family courts and support structures that could assist families with issues such as divorce, adoption, counselling and relationship challenges.
Psychologist Shaun Whittaker said the culture of silence surrounding rape is often driven by fear of family conflict, shame and social consequences.
“Families fear conflict or shame and division if they expose the perpetrator, especially when he is a breadwinner, a community figure or a respected elder. So protecting the perpetrator feels like protecting the family’s stability,” Whittaker said.
He said survivors often experience further trauma when they encounter scepticism from police officers, healthcare workers or family members.
“Survivors learn that disclosure leads to disbelief, blame or bureaucracy, and trust in people and in systems can collapse. It also reinforces the shame, and all these sceptical questions feel like confirmation that perhaps it is their fault,” Whittaker said.
Whittaker warned that rape is driven by beliefs about entitlement, power and control rather than sexual desire.
“Rape is about power, it is not about sexual desire. We need to expose these myths around rape culture and engage men directly. We must get men to examine their own beliefs about masculinity, sex and consent. Otherwise, this narrative will not shift,” he said.
