Denge talks gender-based violence at local church

He gave advice about gender-based violence (GBV) to members of the church.

The humble and soft spoken head of police was warmly welcomed by members of the church.

He delivered his speech based on the following subtopics: What is gender-based violence? What causes it? Who are the victims? What are the consequences? What can be done to prevent it?

What is it?

Denge said GBV is violence that is directed at an individual based on his or her biological sex or gender identity. It includes physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and psychological abuse, threats, coercion and economic or educational deprivation, whether occurring in public or private life.

Sexual and other forms of GBV comprises not only rape and attempted rape, but also sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, forced early marriage, domestic violence, marital rape, trafficking and female genital mutilation.

Who and what causes gender-based violence?

Denge said most GBV cases reported at the police station happened between lovers. Especially men who do not want to accept a break up. They end up forcing their lovers to stay in loveless relationships.

Sometimes it is caused by a lack of trust between lovers or low self-esteem in men. If a man has low self-esteem he does not allow his woman to have a say in their relationships.

Substance abuse is another cause of GBV. Sometimes if a man drinks a lot he ends up failing to provide for his family. This causes a fight between him and his wife. As a result, he ends up assaulting his wife.

Who are the victims?

Women, children, elderly people as well as gay and lesbian people. Sometimes men become victims as well.

What are the consequences?

Victims of violence can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences, including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, traumatic fistula, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and even death.

Sometimes it leads to children being violent, bullying their peers at school and abusing their teachers. Sometimes young women end up abusing alcohol just because they want to forget about traumatic experiences.

Sometimes you find clinics and hospitals full of people who have been stabbed. And police stations full of people who have been arrested for causing the crime.

What can be done to prevent it?

Denge said it is difficult to prevent GBV because most people who are the causes are men, most boys are raised by single parents, and that men do not want to go to church or attend men’s forums where they are going to speak out about issues that affect them.

He said what they as a police station are planning is to start a programme whereby they are going to work hand in hand with social workers. They are going to go to taverns to educate men there and encourage them to speak out instead of bottling up their emotions. which makes them angry and then they end up assaulting their loved ones.

He said they will also go to different schools and have a word with young men, reach out to them and educate them about being responsible men.

“Most importantly, people who are physically or sexually abused must speak out about it. The police will protect them,” said Denge.

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