Domestic violence under the spotlight in Nyanga
A lack of jobs for women is one of the reasons they get stuck in abusive relationships as they are economically reliant on abusive partners.
This was one of the sentiments expressed at a discussion about domestic violence, held at Shawco hall in Nyanga on Thursday August 29.
The event was organised by several NGO's: Nyanga Men Empowerment, Africa Unite, the Cesvi Foundation and Warriors of the Land.
Nyanga Men Empowerment founding member Malusi Xego said women should be encouraged to do things for themselves instead of relying on men.
“Let us encourage women never to rely on their partners and instead create their own way of living. Once a woman depends more on a man, when she is abused, she opens a case and later withdraws it. They go as far as withdrawing criminal charges laid against their abusers because they feel like they need them,” he said.
Phelekwa Zinto, from Singama Khalipha, a programme of Africa Unite, said: “There should be jobs for women and intervention for perpetrators. In our programme, the focus is on a boy child. We need to teach them from an early age that women are people too.
“Men need to call out others. They need to say, 'We are not chilling with you if you are an abuser.' They should know that girl children need warmth too."
Nomkhitha Magwapheni, from the Cesvi Foundation, urged men to spend more time with their children, and she said women should teach their sons sound values.
"Absent fathers are a cause of what we are experiencing today,” she said.
Everyone agreed that more educational programmes were needed to tackle the problem and NGOs should work together to help communities protect women from violence.
