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Passion killing in Namibia
Passion killings a symptom of patriarchy

FOLLOWING the tragic murder-suicide in which a man first shot and killed his girlfriend and then turned the gun on himself, people have started desperately looking for explanations to the growing problem of passion killings.

While the families of 23-year-old Patricia Hango and Natangwe Mokanya (42) mourn the death of their loved ones, women fear for their lives and have started questioning the type of society they live in. Both Hango and Mokanya’s bodies were found in a silver Toyota Corolla vehicle on Wednesday afternoon at the NUNW offices. Mokanya shot Hango three times in the abdomen, once in the arm and head, before turning the gun on himself. He shot himself through the ear.1 Deputy Commissioner of the Namibian Police Sylvanus Nghishidimbwa confirmed that the two were involved in a relationship but did not disclose the reasons behind the murder and suicide. Clinical Psychologist Dr Shaun Whittaker spoke to the Windhoek Observer about the subject of passion killing in Namibia. Whittaker said passion killing can be attributed to social disintegration, unemployment and socio-economic status. “Society needs to think more seriously about a status quo that is not working and find way to change it. We live in a male dominated country, where the man still has more power, and factors like unemployment and social norms play a big role in the attitude of men. “Where levels of violence are high the male gender role is higher too and therefore we need to find ways to address these aspects of patriarchies.2” Although the media frequently reports on passion crimes, Whittaker does not believe it encourages passion killing in Namibia. “As it is, we live in a very violent society and need to look at these issues at a much higher level than blaming it on the media.” “The social effect on both the families affected and society are tremendous because it has a traumatising impact on the loved ones of the victim and those of the perpetrator. “The short-term effect however is that we will all be shocked and there will be a sense of horror in our reactions. “The long-term effects should be that we think more seriously and address the status quo which is not working and accept that passion crimes are part of social integration,” he said. With the passion killings that have occurred in recent times, the public has been clamouring for the death penalty to be brought back to the justice system to curb and deter violence against woman. Whittaker however disagrees that the death penalty will act as a deterrent against violence against women and other crimes. “I am completely opposed to the idea of bringing back the death penalty, because it will be a huge tragedy. We have to find other ways by looking at the social and psychological aspects that lead to these men to kill someone. “You have to keep in mind that it can happen to anyone. And the perpetrator is usually an ordinary person just like you and me. They are not psychopaths and we cannot apply a psychological perspective but rather look at a broader spectrum. He added that passion crimes are not based on men loving their partners but rather on power, a situation he describes as unhealthy and undemocratic. He agreed with the school of thought that sexually intimate relationships result in passion killing when they end as opposed to non-sexual relationships.He added that the need to have power over another person is the reason why men kill their lovers or partners.