GBV crimes down 60% since 2006

Defilement and rape cases have reduced by 64.9 and 62.8 percent respectively since 2006, according to a police report. The report, seen by The New Times indicates that 714 defilement cases were registered in the first six months of this year compared to 2,033 recorded in 2006. 150 rape cases were registered in the same period, down from 403 registered five years ago. The two crimes were higher in 2007 when they increased by 19 percent (2421 cases) and 27.5 percent (514 cases) respectively, according to a report. Last year, defilement cases recorded amounted to 1,570 cases while rape amounted to 297 cases. Police, according to a report, also forwarded 153 murder cases for prosecution since 2006, 114 of them women killed by their spouses. 1,599 cases of physical abuses between spouses were by June this year, forwarded to prosecution. “In the years 2008, 2009 and 2010 the numbers progressively reduced due to both increased community awareness and improved synergy and coordination between the police, prosecution, medical, civil society, local leadership and the community for improved service delivery in regard to survivors’ access to justice,” the report partly reads. Rwanda’s effort to combat GBV by establishing the Gender Desk in the police, the Gender Monitoring Office and Isange One-Stop Centre in Kacyiru Police Hospital to offer free treatment service to victims of child, domestic and gender based violence and counselling, earned herself to host the UN conference on GBV. The Kigali international conference scheduled for 26 and 27 of this month will be held under the theme; “Role of Security Organs in Ending Violence against Women.” The conference organized by the Rwanda National Police in collaboration with the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) gender desk and supported by Rwanda UN family, is organized in the framework of the UN Secretary General’s global campaign dubbed “Say No – UNITE to End Violence against Women” (2008-2015) launched on February 25, 2008. It is also organized in the spirit of the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325/2000 which is aimed at protecting women and girls during and after armed conflicts and to fully involve them in conflict prevention, management and resolution, peace building and reconciliation. Ends