The following research project was commissioned by the Rape Crisis Centre (RCC), Maun, Botswana, and funded by Comic Relief, UK. The aim was to assess the needs of abused women and children in North West Botswana and to recommend ways to ensure support for survivors. Below the findings of the four-month project are summarized:

Violence against women is reaching endemic proportions in Botswana:
· According to recent, government-sponsored research a woman reports a case of domestic violence every five minutes ·
· 60% of women have been a victim of gender violence in the last five years
· Every 12 minutes a woman is raped
· Women are especially vulnerable in semi urban areas like Maun
· 86 % of respondents rate violence against women as a community problem, 88 % say it is on the increase
· Severe beating is perceived as the most common form of abuse (61%) followed by rape (47%)
· Almost a third (32%) of respondents know a woman who has fled home because of violence
· Almost half (48%) of all violence cases at the Maun magistrates court involve violence against women, at the customary court it is 57%
· Existing support structures are either unable or unwilling to cope with the increase in violence against women. This includes traditional support structures such as the extended family and modern structures such as social services.
· Survivors, service providers and other stakeholders want the provision of legal advice and emergency accommodation
· A legal aid centre needs to be established - 63% of respondents see this as the number one priority
· A secure shelter needs to be set up to provide short term housing for those who have fled violence at home
PART TWO: CHILDREN IN SCHOOL: A SAFE PLACE?

Sexual harassment by teachers and consensual sexual relations between teachers and students in secondary schools in Botswana are widespread:
· 67 percent of students say they have been subjected by teachers to either of the following behaviours at least once: unsolicited touching, patting and pinching, dirty jokes, sexual innuendoes, pressure for dates, or whistles.
· 25 percent of students say they have been subjected to one of the above on a regular basis.
· 20 percent of students say they have been asked to have sexual relations by their teachers.
· Nearly half of these (42 percent) accepted. 47 percent ignored the teachers and tried to stay away from them.
· 62 percent of those accepting say they accepted for fear of what the teacher could do to them and 20 percent because of fear of lower grades
· The Code of Conduct for teachers is silent on the matter of sexual harassment
· The Ministry of Education has not produced a policy on equity and equality for schools
· Almost two thirds of students (71 percent) and over half of teachers are aware of sexual relations taking place in their school
· Headmasters are generally dissatisfied with the way the Teachers Service Management (TSM) handle cases of sexual relations between students and teachers.
· 68 percent of cases of sexual harassment happen at Junior Secondary School, 18 percent at Senior Secondary School and 14 percent at Primary School.
· 75 percent of teachers believe sexual harassment is underreported because students are afraid, do not know where to report, or do not trust school authorities.
· 83 percent of teachers consider student/teacher relationships to be a "big problem".
· There is no procedure for the lodging of complaints in school ·

Methodology

A mix of quantitative (questionnaires, statistical data) and qualitative (in depth interviews) research methods were used.190 questionnaires (written in English and Setswana) were completed for part one, and 750 questionnaires for sexual violence in schools .

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