Let’s not relent on domestic violence
Deceased Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei. PHOTO/FILE/HANDOUT
What you need to know:
- According to the 2023 annual crime police report, 14,681 cases of Domestic violence were reported to police in 2023. And by the end of 2023, 1,520 cases of domestic violence were taken to court, 423 cases secured convictions, and 889 were pending in court.
The tragic story of Rebecca Cheptegei, the 33-year-old Olympian who was doused in petrol by an ex-lover is one of pain, and a bright future extinguished in crime so vile. It is a horrible reminder that violence, domestic or otherwise should have no place to hide in society. And yet even as terribly sad as Cheptegei’s death is, we will and we do continue to grapple with cases of domestic violence. Stories of men and women killing, attempting to kill, maiming, beating, verbally, psychologically abusing their partners abound.
Unfortunately, it is uncommon to find that members of a given community who are aware of the abuse just look on and do nothing in the name of minding their own business. Of course, this is not the case in all incidents.
It is even more absurd that there are communities where domestic violence is left to go unabated. Victims are silenced and the perpetrators enabled until God forbid, a life is lost.
The fight against domestic violence should not be left to a few but should be for us all to take up rank and fight to its death. There are those cases that happen without any warning but then there are those where the trail of abuse is clear for all to see. We have no excuse not to try and deal with the latter.
On a lighter note, there was 17percent decline of domestic violence cases reported in 2023 compared to 2022 but this shouldn’t get us sitting back on our laurels and watch a few actors fight the vice. The numbers are too high and they don’t lie.
According to the 2023 annual crime police report, 14,681 cases of Domestic violence were reported to police in 2023. And by the end of 2023, 1,520 cases of domestic violence were taken to court, 423 cases secured convictions, and 889 were pending in court.
Even if men too suffer domestic violence, women and girls remain the victims. To fight domestic we must create an atmosphere that makes it easy for victims to come forth. This encourages victims or relations/ neighbors of victims to speak up. Suffering should not be glorified as some form of rite of passage as is wont of some cultures.
Perpetrators should also be brought to book regardless of their station in a given society. It is only when they are rightly punished that others will refrain from doing the same. Even the process of reporting these crimes and getting justice should be simplified with extra care not to vilify or shame the victim.
Domestic violence awareness drives are key too. Let everyone know that they have a role to play in this fight.
