Police in Kasese District have expressed concern over a rising number of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases affecting families across the region.
According to SP Nelson Tumushime, the Rwenzori East Regional Police Spokesperson, all four police divisions in the region Katwe, Bwera, Hima, and Kasese have reported a surge in GBV-related incidents, which he says are threatening community wellbeing and the proper upbringing of children.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday afternoon at Kasese Central Police Station, SP Tumushime revealed that since the beginning of the year, police have recorded at least 116 GBV cases. However, he added that an unknown number of incidents remain unreported.
The most frequently reported cases, he noted, include child neglect, abandonment, kidnapping, and both murder and attempted murder among spouses.
SP Tumushime also confirmed that two boys from Munkunyu Sub-county are currently in police custody at Bwera Divisional Police Headquarters. The suspects are accused of raping elderly women, allegedly after luring them with alcoholic drinks.
He described the behavior as a disturbing trend and urged the public to work closely with police to curb the growing threat of GBV in the region.
