Women develop cold feet in gender-based violence cases

women suffer from gender-based violence in silence as they are economically dependent on their spouses.
Figures released by the gender-based advocacy group show that between 60 and 80 percent of women who report their abusive spouses to either police or advocacy groups withdraw the cases.
In an interview yesterday, the organisation’s regional manager, Ms Lindile Ndebele, urged women to engage in projects that would empower them economically so that they live free lives.
“About 60 to 80 percent of women usually withdraw their cases even after sustaining serious injuries. Women are failing to get their abusive spouses arrested or taken to prison because they fear losing the economic benefits that are attached to the partners.
“Most women depend on men economically and the thought of losing that breadwinner who brings money for food, shelter and clothing in the family haunts them and they end up withdrawing their cases,” said Ms Ndebele.
She said women in abusive relationships found it easy to live in pain and settle for any form of abuse than to see their abusive spouses arrested or taken to prison.
“It is disappointing to note that many of us live with the worst criminals and even if we find the courage to report them, somehow we withdraw the cases because in a way our lives revolve around them,” said Ms Ndebele.
She also attributed the withdrawal of the cases to the permanent cultural and religious mentalities that make it difficult for women to take their abusive partners to court.
“We have also noted that despite the economic status of many women, they cannot take their spouses to court because they fear being labelled cultural misfits. African culture and religion labels women who report their husbands for any abusive behaviour as immoral, ungodly, social misfits and raw,” said Ms Ndebele.
The provincial development officer for Bulawayo Metropolitan province in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Mrs Vaidah Mashangwa, said the withdrawal of cases by women was one of the ministry’s greatest challenges.
“This issue is a real challenge to us and we encourage women not to withdraw their cases. Women have to realise that if they withdraw their cases, the behaviour of their abusive partners will never change and they will continually be victims of abuse,” said Mrs Mashangwa.
She said pressure from in-laws and parents also led to women withdrawing cases, a move that condoned gender based violence.
“Women are encouraged to be active and participate in projects that seek to empower them and in that way, they can stop abuse by reporting and making sure abusive men are brought to justice,” she said.
Recently, a report from Musasa Project showed that the number of women who were counselled for trauma due to gender based violence in Bulawayo shot up from about 700 in 2010 to 1 851 in 2011.
It showed that women in the 20 to 29 age group were the most affected as 510 of them were counselled.
The 30 to 39 age group had 424 victims, and there were 304 traumatised women in the 40-49 age groups while 280 women in the more than 50 years group were counselled.
A total of 63 teenagers aged between 15 and 19 years were counselled as well.
Ms Ndebele also encouraged couples to seek counselling and said it was among the most effective tools for positive behaviour change.
She said women who suffered from abuse could contact her organisation on (09) 882888.