By Edmore Mhangami
There is a notable increase in the cases of domestic violence this year with more than 178 cases recorded in Karoi as compared to the 124 recorded during the same period last year, it can be revealed.
The Musasa house which is used to give shelter to women who would have been mistreated by their husbands currently has nine women as compared to the five that it had last year same period.
Speaking at an interview held at the sidelines of a campaign against gender based violence held recently Mrs Chipo Hwacha from Musasa project said the escalating cases of gender based violence are mainly due to poverty and child marriages.
She posits that young couples are the ones who have most cases of such violence.
“As Musasa we have researched on the causes of gender based violence and traced it back too poverty and child marriages. It is due to poverty that couples usually queries and at times fights in their marital homes.
Gender based violence is not only physical it can be verbal and at times emotional as well. Young star who embark in the marriage bus are the ones that are mainly being affected by this kind of violence as they would have committed prematurely,” she said.
Mrs Hwacha said couples should find better ways to resolve disputes rather than violence.
She said couples can seek counselling from either professionals or relatives.
“As Musasa we offer counselling services for free. We also try and help the couples be advised on how to resolve dispute peacefully by professionals. Besides us (Musasa) couples can be counselled by aunties life in the olden days,” she said.
