Gender-Based Violence in Namibia: Confronting Colonialism and Apartheid

• In Event: Comparative Perspectives on Intimate Violence and Gendered Peace

Abstract

This study offers an analysis of gender-based violence (GBV) in Namibia, delineating the ways in which historical phenomenon such as German colonial rule, the apartheid system, the genocide of the Herero and Nama groups, and contemporary levels of poverty and inequality have become accelerants to gender-based violence in Namibia. Additionally, engaging Judith Butler’s constructs in Undoing Gender and Frames of War, the project presents several take-aways regarding what makes life “livable” and “grievable” in the Namibian context. Drawing from qualitative interviews and content analysis of Namibian media outlets, interventions regarding GBV accelerants such as inequality, historical factors, and situational factors of climate and context are offered to better understand the complex social problem of GBV. Additionally, presented within Butler’s theoretical framework of “livability,” Namibian women are centered, offering their own personal reflections and assessments of their lived experiences, including what makes life worth living, especially in the context of high rates of GBV and femicide.

Author

• Mariah Stember, Hamilton College