Agisanang Domestic Abuse Prevention and Training is urging for more unity and tolerance in families in order to counter domestic violence and divorce.
This was said by Martina Monyamane, the organisation’s criminal justice programme co-ordinator when reflecting on the outcome of a recent workshop for families. The workshop was convened to discuss solutions on how to decrease violence in homes, and to help mothers, fathers and children to understand their roles in the family.
Monyamane said family violence was caused by imbalance in power relations between mothers and fathers resulting from stereotypical perceptions of the man being the head of the house. She said with the evolving culture of human rights, this made women feel oppressed and men to feel undermined by their spouses.
“This breeds mistrust, tensions and confused children causing them to pick sides between parents, resulting in further division between the family members,” she said. “In some instances this leads to increased violence, murder and rape of the female spouse.
“Also it forces children into drugs to avoid the stress in the home or to seek outside advice rather that relying on the family.”
Monyamane encouraged parents to be always available for their children to limit negative influences from their peers which could lead to drug taking and teenage pregnancies.
She added that more workshops would be held to help strengthen family unity and cohesion.
