By ALICE NACHILEMBE
The Rural Women Assembly (RWA) says that Gender Based Violence (GBV) has taken both men and women to an early grave hence.
The institution says due to the gravity of outcome of GBV, all stakeholders need to come on board to map out interventions.
RWA Zambia Chapter Chairperson Grace Tepula said that the cases of GBV are alarming and most of them go unreported until someone loses life.
She was speaking when they held an interaction meeting in Ndola rural community where they met men and women to give GBV sensitization because both genders are affected.
Ms Tepula said that most men fear to report the cases of GBV for fear of been laughed at that the women are abusing them.
She told the community that violence is not a solution in marriage when there is something wrong, couples must go to the drawing board and find a solution.
Ms Tepula said that that if the solution can not be reached then it is better to divorce than killing one another.
She said that people do not want the community to know what is happening in their homes, thereby resorting to hiding of GBV, not knowing that they may be killed one day.
Ms Tepula said that it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that GBV has no place in the community.
She said those who are beaten in homes should not take it to be normal especially in rural communities.
And speaking at the same meeting Daniel Kasonde a retired police officer told the community that beating is not the only offence under GBV.
Mr Kasonde said sexual defilement, rape, verbal abuse from spouses they all fall under GBV.
He urged the community to help one another especially in reporting cases of GBV in case the victims are scared to go to the police.
“Communities are the ones shielding cases of defilement, battling and others. This is because the victims had confided in them. They still can’t report to the police because they are scared that all the community will know thereby ruining their home,” he said.
A GBV Survivor, Leah Ngosa said that it is not worth to die for and when domestic violence takes precedence, it is better to leave.
Ms Ngosa said that sometimes people have stayed because of the children and they can’t think of survival if they left abusive spouses so they stay.
Rural Women Assembly is a non-governmental organisation that advocates for women’s rights and their wellbeing in society in rural areas of Zambia.
