Police urge parents to report GBV, misbehaving children

The police are urging parents to contact them about cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and for advice on handling children with behavioural issues.

They are pleading with parents not to resort to harmful disciplinary action.

This comes after a Windhoek mother tied her two sons, aged 13 and 14, to two seperate trees at Ehaambo DaNehale in the Hakahana area last week.

City Police spokesperson superintendent Marcelline Murapo has confirmed the incident.

“A community member reported the incident as a case of child abuse. Upon arrival at the scene, the police found the boys’ mother and stepfather at home.

“The parents admitted to tying the children to a tree,” she says.

The parents claim they resorted to this action because the boys would smoke dagga and cause trouble in the community whenever they were left home alone.

Murapo says the parents were taken to the Wanahenda Police Station, where the case was handed over to their GBV unit.

Ehaambo DaNehale community leader Naango Mateus says it’s of grave concern that parents tie their children to trees, and that they are exposed to drugs.

“Many parents seek my advice on how to handle their disrespecting children,” he says.

He says the mother (35) of four struggles to keep her two older boys at home.

She cannot seem to control their behaviour, and therefore resorts to tying them to trees, he says.

Mateus says the woman often looks for the children at night, since she and their stepfather often get home late in the evening.

Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare spokesperson Lukas Haufiku says the ministry works with children with behavioural problems.

“If parents are struggling, they should consider bringing their children to the ministry.

Our social workers will be able to provide guidance and support,” he says.

“In more extreme cases, we may need to arrange for a professional assessment,” Haufiku says.

Windhoek-based social worker Lovisa Nghipandulwa says this case is an indication of a desperate mother trying to control to her children’s behaviour.

The mother may have applied some other forms of discipline which have not worked in the past.

However, tying the children to a tree is not appropriate nor is it an effective method of discipline in the long term, Nghipandulwa says.

Social workers have to determine why the children flee their home, she says.