News / National
Domestic violence case still high in Zimbabwe
30 Apr 2012 at 21:26hrs | Views
CASES of domestic violence throughout the country remain high despite several interventions to stop perpetrators from committing the offence, a recent national survey has revealed.
The most common perpetrator of this violence against women has been identified as current or former husband or partner.
According to the 2010-11 Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency recently, 30 percent of women have experienced physical violence at some point since the age of 15 years.
Of these women, 18 percent experienced physical violence within the past 12 months.
It was also noted that 22 percent of women who have had sexual intercourse reported that their first experience was forced against their will.
The report further noted that 27 percent of women interviewed in the survey reported that they have experienced sexual violence and in nine of 10 cases, the act was perpetrated by current or former husband, partner or boyfriend.
Sadly, only 37 percent of women who experienced physical or sexual violence have sought help.
Most of the women turned to family (58 percent), in-laws (36 percent) and friends or neighbours (13 percent) for assistance.
"Despite the new legislation and on-going efforts to protect women and vulnerable populations against violence, there is widespread recognition in Zimbabwe that much remains to be done to protect victims," reads part of the report.
Zimbabwe enacted the Domestic Violence Act in 2006 for the protection and relief of victims of domestic violence".
According to World Health Organisation, domestic violence is intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual against oneself, another person or against a group or community that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development or deprivation.
According to ZDHS there has been a slight decrease of women who reported experience of spousal physical or sexual violence from 31 percent in the 2005-06 ZDHS to 29 percent in this survey.
Declines were also observed in the past 12 months in spousal physical violence from 25 to 22 percent and spousal physical and sexual violence from nine to six percent.
However, the data suggest that women's experience of spousal sexual violence has not declined.
Instead, it has increased from 13 to 14 percent.
"These findings together suggest that that much work remains to be done if women are to be protected against all forms of violence," reads the report.
To challenge gende- based violence, the Ministry of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development launched the 4Ps campaign on zero tolerance on domestic violence last year in November 2011.
The four Ps are prevention, protection, partnerships and programming.
The most common perpetrator of this violence against women has been identified as current or former husband or partner.
According to the 2010-11 Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency recently, 30 percent of women have experienced physical violence at some point since the age of 15 years.
Of these women, 18 percent experienced physical violence within the past 12 months.
It was also noted that 22 percent of women who have had sexual intercourse reported that their first experience was forced against their will.
The report further noted that 27 percent of women interviewed in the survey reported that they have experienced sexual violence and in nine of 10 cases, the act was perpetrated by current or former husband, partner or boyfriend.
Sadly, only 37 percent of women who experienced physical or sexual violence have sought help.
Most of the women turned to family (58 percent), in-laws (36 percent) and friends or neighbours (13 percent) for assistance.
"Despite the new legislation and on-going efforts to protect women and vulnerable populations against violence, there is widespread recognition in Zimbabwe that much remains to be done to protect victims," reads part of the report.
Zimbabwe enacted the Domestic Violence Act in 2006 for the protection and relief of victims of domestic violence".
According to World Health Organisation, domestic violence is intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual against oneself, another person or against a group or community that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development or deprivation.
According to ZDHS there has been a slight decrease of women who reported experience of spousal physical or sexual violence from 31 percent in the 2005-06 ZDHS to 29 percent in this survey.
Declines were also observed in the past 12 months in spousal physical violence from 25 to 22 percent and spousal physical and sexual violence from nine to six percent.
However, the data suggest that women's experience of spousal sexual violence has not declined.
Instead, it has increased from 13 to 14 percent.
"These findings together suggest that that much work remains to be done if women are to be protected against all forms of violence," reads the report.
To challenge gende- based violence, the Ministry of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development launched the 4Ps campaign on zero tolerance on domestic violence last year in November 2011.
The four Ps are prevention, protection, partnerships and programming.
Source - TH
