Domestic violence cases on the increase

THE courts have handled more than 2 600 cases of domestic violence from across the country between January and April this year.

Although statistics for last year under the period under review could not be made available, in 2011 the courts handled 2 665 cases between January and April.

Addressing stakeholders during a gender based violence meeting in Bulawayo on Wednesday, head of department of gender in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Ms Caroline Matizha, said the Government would spread domestic violence awareness campaigns to every district in the country in a bid to address the causes of the violence.

"Recent statistics shared by the Chief Magistrate's Office indicate that from January to April 2013, a total of 2 654 new cases of domestic violence were received by the courts.

"These figures justify the need to recognise the gaps that slow down the reduction of GBV by scaling up efforts in identifying where GBV cases are prone," said Ms Matizha.

She said it was high time awareness programmes were spread to grassroots level.

"The dissemination of the Zimbabwe National Gender Based Violence Strategy is aimed at informing provincial and district stakeholders on the national priorities in achieving zero tolerance on domestic violence.

"The priority of the Ministry of Women Affairs is to create an enabling environment for non-tolerance of GBV by increasing the capacity of leaders at  provincial and district levels to address GBV including the negative cultural and religious practices that fuel violence against women and girls," said Ms Matizha.

She said plans were underway to establish a functional and effective Anti-Domestic Violence Council before the end of the year.

United Nations Population Fund (UNDP) gender programmes specialist Ms Choice Damiso said the dissemination of the NGBV would give focus on the perpetrator and survivor of domestic violence.

"The dissemination of the strategy will not give much attention to the survivors of domestic violence but it will instead concentrate on both angles in domestic violence that is the perpetrator and survivor of GBV.

"By doing so, more focus will be given to the grassroot causes and a permanent solution will be achieved," she said.

According to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey, the domestic violence prevalence rate is at 42 percent with 99 percent of the victims being women.

Reported domestic violence cases in the country handled by the Victim Friendly Unit (VFU) in the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) last year were 10 871.