GBV: 24% decline in court cases linked to awareness campaign

Claire, who lives in Kigali, was sexually abused by a family friend when she was 16. The 24-year-old got pregnant and an HIV test she took after that turned positive. “It was the most terrifying time of my life,” said Claire (not her real name). To make things worse, her parents, who were close friends with her abuser, initially did not believe her story. “When I reported the case, it created tension within my parents because they didn’t want to accept that their friend could do such a thing to me,” she explained. ALSO READ: A call to end violence against women in Rwanda and beyond However, she said, after noticing the toll the trauma had taken on her, her parents eventually came to understand and supported her fight for justice. “I had to be strong, even when it felt like no one was on my side. It wasn’t easy, but in the end, my parents stood by me,” she added. She told The New Times that she hoped that her story would encourage other GBV victims to speak out despite the challenges they might face. Claire’s story reflects those of many GBV victims, who struggled before they sought justice. Those who reported their abusers said that taking their cases to court helped them get justice. However, they noted that more efforts are needed to bridge gaps in society perception of GBV and how to support its victims. ALSO READ: Gender Minister urges cooperation to build families free of GBV Theogene Habakubana, who lives Huye District, reflected on how his views of masculinity and power in his family were once misguided. “I used to believe that using force was just part of being a man,” said the 52-year-old. However, community meetings and seeing men in his area being arrested for GBV made him reconsider his belief about GBV. “The fear of punishment has made many men rethink their behavior, but real change requires ongoing education about respect and equality,” Habakubana said. While laws have had a deterrent effect, he said more dialogue is needed to challenge deeply rooted beliefs about gender roles. Cases on decline GBV cases referred to court have decreased by 24 per cent over the past four years, according to the Judiciary. Increased aware about gender-based violence (GBV) has been linked to a decline in GBV cases referred to Rwandan courts, judicial officials say. ALSO READ: How to address, overcome the impact of gender-based violence The Judiciary’s annual report showed that GBV cases rose from 6,403 in 2019/2020 to 7,089 cases in 2020/2021, before taking a downward turn (see Chart 1). The report also outlines the cases received in the intervening years, as 7,089 cases in 2020/2021, 6,672 cases in 2021/2022, and 6,014 cases in 2022/2023. A total of 4,842 cases were referred to court in 2023/2024. Of the 4,842 cases received in 2023/2024, one reached the court of appeal, 351 reached the high court, 4,150 were handled by intermediate courts, while 340 by primary courts (see Chart 2). “The major factor that has led to the decline of these cases is, most probably, awareness campaign against GBV,” said Harrison Mutabazi, the spokesperson of the Judiciary.

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GBV: 24% decline in court cases linked to awareness campaign