Faith Duri
Domestic violence especially against women and children seems to be worsening as families struggle with anxiety, economic stress and living in close physical proximity to one another due to the Covid-19 induced restrictions.
Government’s fight against the global pandemic is expected to mean more days of enforced social isolation which poses a huge threat of more cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) being reported, experts have noted.
The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) said in a statement in 2021 that the increase in GBV cases is worrying and government as well as other stakeholders need to adopt a gendered approach in responding in crises while they take GBV as an emergency and provide necessities to guard against distress and malnutrition.
“The NPRC noted a marked increase in GBV and implores family to take advantage of this lockdown to build sound relationships, mend broken ones, appreciate one another and live in a peaceful co-existence.
“The state is urged as prescribed by the law to take all reported cases of GBV seriously and protect all victims and survivors of GBV during this period,” read the statement.
GBV cases are estimated to have had an increase of 70 percent as compared to the pre-lockdown trends and about 94 percent of those cases affect women and children.
The most dominant forms are physical violence (38%) psychological violence (38%) economic violence (11%) and sexual violence (5%), about 90 percent of the cases are Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).
Musasa Project, Katswe Sistahood and Pakasipiti also reported an increase in GBV and IPV cases over the period of Covid-19 lockdown.
Musasa Project based in Harare recorded a total number of 2 519 GBV calls from the beginning of the lockdown on March 30, 2020.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa stated that domestic violence has already surged in many areas as measures imposed like isolation compelled a number of women to be confined at home under the same roof with their perpetrators thus exacerbating women’s vulnerability to domestic violence and mostly women in high density suburbs are affected.
