Alcohol – the lurking danger

There is a direct relationship between alcohol abuse, acts of crime and accidents, according to Deputy Commissioner Tobias Gerber, the second in command of the Namibian Police in Erongo.

Deputy Commissioner Gerber made this remark recently at meetings at Walvis Bay and Swakopmund with community policing groups. Community policing groups in the coastal towns are neighbourhood watch formations, police reservists and community against crime organisations.
Alcohol abuse leads to most incidents of domestic violence. Domestic violence includes physical attacks, verbal attacks, emotional abuse and also abuse of a sexual nature where women and children are victims.
Alcohol abuse can also lead to other criminal acts like burglaries and robberies, whilst people under the influence of alcohol in public alcohol outlets get involved in physical alter-cations. Stabbings and common assault are commonplace at liquor outlets like shebeens and bars.
Drunken driving, along with speeding, are the main causes of fatal road accidents. Drunken driving also causes accidents where people suffer damage to property and often these drivers leave the scenes of these accidents in order to prevent criminal prosecution.
Other forms of accidents where alcohol plays a role in deaths and injuries are: drownings, electrocution, falling or other accidents in and around the home which leads to injuries and in some instances also death.