10/06/2026
Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs, Honourable Lesego Chombo, has warned that exposure to violence during childhood has long-term consequences, revealing that more than 90 percent of children raised in abusive households are likely to either become victims or perpetrators of violence later in life. She made the remarks at the High-Level Development Partners Forum for the Joint Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response Programme.
Chombo said the findings highlight a dangerous cycle of violence that is often passed from one generation to the next, as children who grow up in abusive environments tend to normalise violent behaviour. She stressed that this pattern not only affects individual wellbeing but also contributes to the broader national burden of gender-based violence and social instability.
She further emphasized that breaking this cycle requires urgent and coordinated intervention at household and community level. The Minister called for stronger prevention systems, early childhood protection, and targeted support for families, noting that failure to act decisively would allow the cycle of abuse to continue shaping future generations.
