ZAMBIA RECORDS 12,637 GBV CASES IN THIRD QUARTER OF 2026

The Zambia Police Service has recorded 12,637 cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) countrywide during the third quarter of 2026, representing the period between July and September.

Police Public Relations Officer Chipo Kaitisha said 7,972 of the cases were criminal, while 4,665 were non-criminal.

Ms Kaitisha said women and girls continued to be disproportionately affected, accounting for 10,167 victims, representing 80.5 percent of the total, while men and boys accounted for 2,470 cases.

She added 2,751 children were among the victims, representing an increase of 433 cases compared to the 2,318 recorded during the same period in 2025.

Physical abuse was the most reported form of GBV, with 4,154 cases, representing an increase of 609 cases compared to the third quarter of 2025.

The police also recorded 2,350 cases of economic abuse, 957 sexual abuse cases and 500 cases of emotional and psychological abuse.

Ms Kaitisha said that 648 of the sexual abuse cases involved child defilement, with girls accounting for 645 victims and boys three.

She said 49 murder cases were also recorded, compared to 30 during the same period last year, while six human trafficking cases were reported.

Ms Kaitisha stated that the Victim Support Unit provided counselling services to 8,914 individuals during the period under review.

She  called on families, communities and other stakeholders to work with the police in preventing and reporting all forms of GBV, particularly violence against women and children.