Women MPs face rape, death threats
At least 42% of Namibian women parliamentarians have received death threats, rape threats or threats of physical violence, a recent study shows.
The study further revealed that 80% of women in parliament have experienced psychological violence during the execution of their duties.
This abuse often goes unreported because female members of parliament are afraid of retribution or to lose their jobs or positions in parliament.
This is according to a November 2021 African Parliamentary Union (APU) issue brief, which pointed out that 40% of women lawmakers have been sexually harassed and 39% have faced intimidation or psychological harassment.
Eunice Iipinge, president of the Pan African Women's Organisation and former Swapo women’s wing leader, said while she has not experienced or heard of sexual harassment in parliament, harassment in general is a concern.
“There are remarks like one member of parliament, who is now deceased, who once told me ‘you women who advocate for gender issues, that is why people are voting you out’.
“That is harassment, so I felt that I should not talk about these issues too much because people would vote me out. Women feel harassed,” she said.
Sex for positions
Meanwhile, another member of parliament - who preferred to remain anonymous - agreed that sexual harassment and intimidation take place in the August House.
She added that women are, at times, compelled to sleep with their male colleagues for positions.
“Women are vulnerable. It is the men who hold the power, so they [women] are unable to speak out in fear of losing their jobs or what may happen to them,” the source said.
The APU report added that male parliamentarians are the primary perpetrators of all forms of violence against female parliamentarians, while women in parliament from the political opposition are even more at risk of these types of abuse.
It further said this abuse takes place at parliament or government institutions, while women parliamentarians are abused on social media platforms as well.
Concerns
According to the report, even administrative staff members at parliament are not spared these exploitations, and 45% of them have been subjected to sexual abuse at their workplace by male parliamentarians and their male colleagues.
Concerns raised include that women in parliament and female staff members do not talk about sexual violence and harassment as this behaviour has been institutionalised. They also fear that they will be blamed or accused of having provoked the harassment and violence, it said.
“Parliamentary staff are aware of their subordinate position and fear losing their jobs or having their voice disregarded when confronting a parliamentarian or person of authority. The parliament mechanisms in place for reporting violence in confidence, lodging complaints and investigating or sanctioning perpetrators are non-existent, weak or not applied,” the report read.
The data also shows that the targets are usually unmarried women from minority groups, those living with disabilities and those younger than 40.
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The study further revealed that 80% of women in parliament have experienced psychological violence during the execution of their duties.
This abuse often goes unreported because female members of parliament are afraid of retribution or to lose their jobs or positions in parliament.
This is according to a November 2021 African Parliamentary Union (APU) issue brief, which pointed out that 40% of women lawmakers have been sexually harassed and 39% have faced intimidation or psychological harassment.
Eunice Iipinge, president of the Pan African Women's Organisation and former Swapo women’s wing leader, said while she has not experienced or heard of sexual harassment in parliament, harassment in general is a concern.
“There are remarks like one member of parliament, who is now deceased, who once told me ‘you women who advocate for gender issues, that is why people are voting you out’.
“That is harassment, so I felt that I should not talk about these issues too much because people would vote me out. Women feel harassed,” she said.
Sex for positions
Meanwhile, another member of parliament - who preferred to remain anonymous - agreed that sexual harassment and intimidation take place in the August House.
She added that women are, at times, compelled to sleep with their male colleagues for positions.
“Women are vulnerable. It is the men who hold the power, so they [women] are unable to speak out in fear of losing their jobs or what may happen to them,” the source said.
The APU report added that male parliamentarians are the primary perpetrators of all forms of violence against female parliamentarians, while women in parliament from the political opposition are even more at risk of these types of abuse.
It further said this abuse takes place at parliament or government institutions, while women parliamentarians are abused on social media platforms as well.
Concerns
According to the report, even administrative staff members at parliament are not spared these exploitations, and 45% of them have been subjected to sexual abuse at their workplace by male parliamentarians and their male colleagues.
Concerns raised include that women in parliament and female staff members do not talk about sexual violence and harassment as this behaviour has been institutionalised. They also fear that they will be blamed or accused of having provoked the harassment and violence, it said.
“Parliamentary staff are aware of their subordinate position and fear losing their jobs or having their voice disregarded when confronting a parliamentarian or person of authority. The parliament mechanisms in place for reporting violence in confidence, lodging complaints and investigating or sanctioning perpetrators are non-existent, weak or not applied,” the report read.
The data also shows that the targets are usually unmarried women from minority groups, those living with disabilities and those younger than 40.
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