GBV fight needs a paradigm shift

ENDER-BASED violence has been pervasive across the course of human history.

Over the years, the nation had grown accustomed to a narrative of gender-based violence depicting a man physically beating a hapless woman.

When society thinks of an abusive relationship, it often defaults to the idea of a woman as the victim, and the man as the perpetrator. Hardly did society conjure up images of women as abusers in any way. Far from being real, the idea itself of women abusing men 10 years ago, was regarded as comical and perceived as a fallacy, save a few incidences.

The narrative is now changing following an increase in the number of men who are under siege from women in cases of domestic violence.

The Anti-Domestic Violence Council gave an impetus to this latest development last week when they noted that the number of men who reported cases of domestic violence has been on the increase since 2016. According to the Council, in 2017, alone the figures rose to 2 461 from the previous 1 993 that was tabulated in 2016.

Despite the jokes and cartoons about the henpecked husbands, several men are being abused in their relationships, even though society and the men themselves don’t consider themselves as victims of abusive relationships.

100 years ago

SALISBURY, 9 April 1919. — It’s as refreshing as it is unusual to find that in the domain of politics there is at least one subject upon which all sections of the Rhodesian community are virtually in absolute agreement.

If there are any old-fashioned Tories or reactionaries in our midst opposed to the grant of the franchise to the women of Southern Rhodesia they were conspicuous by their absence from the large and representative gatherings of citizens of Bulawayo, Salisbury and Gwelo, which pronounced in favour of the immediate admission of women to the voter’s roll and directed the members of the Legislative Council to give statutory effect to this reform at the forthcoming session of the Council.

There may still be a few who entertain doubts, as to the wisdom of raising the issue at a Territory is, so to speak, trembling in the balance and while we may be on the eve of far-reaching changes which may involve the complete reconsideration of our franchise system.

75 years ago

SALISBURY, 9 April 1944. — The Government proposed setting up under an Act of Parliament a board which would help in the co-ordination and contemplation of post-war plans so far as industry was concerned.

This was announced by Prime Minister, Sir Godfrey Huggins, when he opened the 22nd Congress of the Association of Chambers of Commerce or Rhodesia in Gatooma on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister said the attempt to obtain a balanced economic structure was always in the mind of the Government, but this was impossible unless the productive capacity of the workers was attended to, so that the worker, as in other countries, because the market for what was produced.

There were two main directions in which productivity could be increased. First, improving the efficiency of labour by a greater application of machinery and power, that was to say, a greater use of capital in relation to labour per unit of production.

50 years ago

SALISBURY, 9 April 1969. — Young Rhodesians are becoming increasingly aware that the ability to speak will often enables them to make headway in life, according to Mr G. H. Stone, chairman of the Institute of Allied Arts.

More than 700 entries have been received for the Institute’s seven-day 12 session Speech and Drama festival opening in the Harry Margolis Hall tomorrow evening.

Although 194 entries have been received for the seven-classes open only to girls, the 107 entries from boys shows a big increase.

Mr Stone believes this is because boy now realise that good speech is essential if they wish to achieve executive status.

“Once youths thought it was classy to do speech and drama,” it is quite fantastic the interest among youths in these subjected compared with a few years ago.

“Of course a great many have a genuine love of poetry and drama,”he added,“but nowadays the emphasis is on debating and the ability to make a good impromptu speech.”

25 years ago

HARARE, 9 April 1994. — Zesa is to introduce a customer education programme aimed at making consumers understand how they can use electricity more efficiently to keep the price of power affordable.

Plans are also underway to increase the customer base which will result in lowering the cost per unit as well as the tariff since costs would be shared by a larger group of consumers. Presently, nearly 80 percent of the population do not have electricity in their homes.

Contributing to the one-day symposium on power and energy in Zimbabwe conducted by the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers in conjunction with Zesa, the parastatal’s consumer services director, Engineer R. Stokes emphasised that energy can only be used effectively if the consumer is equipped with the relevant knowledge on its use and methods of conserving it.

“Customer education will be pursued with vigour for them to understand how they can use electricity in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

“It must be borne in mind that electricity is competitive compared to other forms of energy only if it is used efficiently,” he said.

While the figures might not be reflective of the situation on the ground, with some men, not keen on reporting for fear of being labelled “sissies” and “unmanly”, domestic violence against men is a growing problem that calls for timely intervention.

Gender-based violence in Zimbabwe and beyond has always been characterised by female victimhood and male perpetration. As a result both the Government and other stakeholders programmed messages and expended resources on women and girls.

The establishment of supporting systems in legislation and structures such as the Msasa Project and several similar initiatives was part of Government’s rehabilitative measures for mainly women and girls in light of abuse from men. While it has taken years of advocacy and support to encourage women to report domestic violence, hardly much was done to encourage men to report abuse, hence the deafening silence, save for sporadic public outbursts.

However, the growing trend of domestic violence against men calls for a paradigm shift in programming, societal attitudes and cultural perception on the problem and ensure that men won’t continue to suffer in silence.

Society should now challenge and disregard outdated stereotypes on gender and power relations that still perceive men as perpetrators of domestic violence. We need to fully understand that boys and men are also vulnerable in specific contexts, and may also be in need of protection. The prevailing economic and social conditions prevailing in the country has left several men emasculated such that they have become punch bags from their partners and within the family.

Even the psychological and emotional trauma they go through at the hands of their families and partners when they fail to put food on the table, warrants attention from both the Government and other stakeholders in terms of support systems so that they do not suffer in silence.

The paradigm shift should also extend to other public institutions such as the media to establish facts and circumstances in alleged domestic violence cases, without being abrasive against men, who might actually be victims of gross domestic abuse. Rather than perpetuate stereotypes where women are regarded as victims of brutal bashing, spotting black eyes, let’s have men opening up on their own experiences at the hands of women.

By playing up these dynamics, we are not ignoring the plight of women when it comes to gender-based violence, but we are acknowledging the multi-faceted nature of the problem.

Already the country already has a zero tolerance policy against domestic violence, a good initiate that needs to be promoted across sexes. We believe peace should start at household level as a subset of society, and violence should be denounced whether perpetrated by men or women.

Time is also nigh for men who are abused to take refuge in the existing legislation on domestic violence which encourages prosecution of perpetrators of gender-based violence, regardless of sex.

Even the law of the land, supports everyone’s right to freedom to personal security without undue influence.

According to Section 52 of the Constitution, every Zimbabwean has a right to personal security and bodily integrity. Responses to . . . A tale of two goalkeepers with contrasting fortunes” This unpatriotic keeper thinks he goes to training in order to bully new good players. Now he turned into the biggest flop. — @ Vangodza.

*** This Chigowe guy is total crap and not a formidable coach and we said it from the word go last year. Even his outward appearance does not exhibit confidence neither is it inspiring. In short, he will never take DeMbare to the promised land and a decision needs to be made now to fire him otherwise it will be another season of miserable pain for the seven million plus supporters. Let’s not experiment with big clubs. Bambo is there, Pasuwa can be dragged from Malawi and so forth. — @Eish. Responses to “Govt clears

path for investors” Some people just see the negative in everything. Let’s smell the coffee and be generational thinkers with a vision for the Zimbabwe we want. Let’s all, in our own little and unique ways, contribute to and add value towards attainment of that vision for the sake of future generations. Painful and disenchanting as it might be, over those lost decades, the truth is that we have had some vital lessons of both errors of commission and omission. We can learn from it. Endless grovelling and vitriol over the spilt milk, may, in my view, not add much value to the generational thinking required to take the country forward. — Gaba Rinocheka.

*** Government should also put in place a parallel structure for locals. How long does it take to approve investment by locals? The investment climate for locals is also being hampered by prohibitive bank charges, no interest earnings on bank deposits, lack of proper and modern vending sites, difficulty of opening bank accounts, high mobile money transfer charges, difficulty of getting passports in terms of lack of decentralisation, slow processes at our borders, etc. — Goto. Responses to purges continue” There is no democracy in — Truth. *** Nelson Chamisa is bulldozing everything in even against the will of the people, he gives a final say which is very undemocratic, but one day it will backfire. — Gakangoma77.

*** I wonder why Chamisa was having conflicts with most of his mayors. — Nkosana.

*** The party does not have any vision, focus and future whatsoever. They are just moving like snails. It is a bunch of confusion. — Rossah. Responses to “Slash prices,

hoteliers told” I have been doing this for five years now, instead of resting in Plumtree or Bulawayo for the night, I would rather drive from Gaborone to Francistown, sleep there, eat breakfast in the morning and then cross into Zimbabwe. Same applies on my return, I will pass Bulawayo and Plumtree to cross into Botswana and sleep in Francistown. Zimbabwe prices are ridiculous! — Zimborig.

*** The last time I went to Victoria Falls I decided to put up on the Zambian side after comparing the prices. The majority of our businesses have poor pricing formulas. They are unwilling to lower prices and push volumes, they are more of dealers than businesses.

They are causing havoc in the economy, probably they are worse than both the sanctions imposed on the country and corruption. The Government should seriously look at how they can assist our business in terms of understanding modern business concepts.

Maybe facilitate intensive training of our businesses and engage on a one-on-one with each business, ring fence those businesses that agree to adjust their pricing formulae and give incentives. In simple terms, Government should just take it that our businesses are at kindergarten level in terms of understanding how to do business. They just need some form of reorientation. They are very critical to the success of the economy. — Goto.

*** Response to “January violence

court statistics out” Next time people should refuse to be Nelson Chamisa’s hunting dogs. You languish in prison now and he is sipping champagne and wine in his palatial residence. None of the leaders who instigated this orgy of violence is in prison putting paid Chamisa’s statement that those who participated in the violence are stupid. That is how stupid these party supporters are. — Masaisai.