Gender-Based Violence (GBV)-related murders in Zambia increased by 34.5 percent in the second quarter of 2026, as the country recorded more than 10,000 GBV cases during the three-month period.
According to information provided to Zambian Business Times -ZBT by Zambia Police Service Spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi, 39 murder cases linked to GBV were recorded between April and June 2026, compared with 29 cases during the same period in 2025. The increase represents 10 additional murder cases within a year.
According to Chilabi, the victims comprised 16 men, 13 women, six boys and four girls. “The Service also recorded 15 cases of Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), compared with six cases during the Second Quarter of 2025,” Chilabi stated.
The increase in serious violence comes as overall reported GBV cases rose from 10,170 in the second quarter of 2025 to 10,881 during the same period this year. Chilabi said 7,261 of the cases recorded between April and June 2026 were criminal, while 3,620 were non-criminal, representing an overall increase of 711 cases, or seven percent, compared with the previous year.
Physical abuse remained the leading form of GBV, with 3,967 cases recorded, accounting for 36.4 percent of all reported cases. The figure was 17.3 percent higher than the 3,382 physical abuse cases recorded in the second quarter of 2025.
“A total of 3,306 cases of Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (OABH) were recorded,” Chilabi stated. He said women accounted for 2,727 of the OABH cases, representing 82.5 percent, while men accounted for 579 cases, or 17.5 percent. Economic abuse also recorded a significant increase, rising by 32.5 percent from 1,571 cases last year to 2,082 cases in the quarter under review.
Chilabi stated that women and girls continued to bear the greatest burden of GBV, accounting for 8,035 victims, or 73.8 percent of all victims, while male victims accounted for 2,846 cases, representing 26.2 percent.
“Women and girls remained disproportionately affected by Gender-Based Violence during the period under review,” he stated.
Children were also heavily affected, with 2,678 recorded as victims of GBV during the quarter. “This represents an increase of 132 victims, or 5.2 percent, compared with the 2,546 child victims recorded during the same period in 2025,” Chilabi stated.
Sexual abuse cases stood at 931, with girls accounting for the largest share at 701 cases. Child defilement remained the most prevalent sexual offence, with 647 cases, representing 69.5 percent of all sexual abuse cases.
Lusaka recorded the highest number of child defilement cases at 148. Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of criminal GBV cases overall, with 1,696 cases, followed by Luapula with 950, Western with 818 and Copperbelt with 763 cases. Chilabi said the statistics were a matter of concern, particularly due to the continued high number of cases involving physical violence, economic abuse and child defilement.
“The continued high number of cases involving physical violence, economic abuse and child defilement, together with the increase in serious offences such as murder and grievous bodily harm, remains a matter of concern,” he stated.
The Police Service called on communities, traditional leaders, parents, guardians, faith-based organisations and civil society organisations to strengthen efforts to prevent GBV and p protect vulnerable people.
“The Zambia Police Service calls upon communities, traditional leaders, parents and guardians, faith-based organisations, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to strengthen efforts aimed at preventing GBV and protecting vulnerable persons,” Chilabi stated.
Article by Karen Ngulube
