Gambia: Combating Domestic Violence - a National Call to Action

opinion

"I was promoted to a new position in my organisation. While this would give me more money, it would require me to stay a bit longer in the office to support my supervisees. I thought this would give me more opportunity to learn in my job and grow. I discussed it with my husband and he initially gave his support. But later in the day, he changed his mind and said I cannot take up the new post. He said I would not have enough time to take care of him the children and his parents. I tried to convince him that I have given the promotion a lot of thoughts and that I would manage. He accused me of not respecting him and wanting to take over his role as man of the house. He lost his temper and beat me up. I reported the matter to both his parents and mine. All of them sided with him. They said my most important and sacred duty is to serve my husband and accept his decisions. My only choice: to decline the appointment"

The story above is just one form of violence that women experience in their careers or upward mobility. Thus, as The Gambia observes the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence which began on 25th November 2013, I wish to put the search light on domestic violence, sometimes referred to as Intimate Partner Violence, that violence which takes place in the private sphere but has devastating and long lasting consequences for the victim, the children and the stability of the society. It is less talked about because it is seen as a private, family matter and society condones it as permissible. It is devastating because it is perpetrated by husbands, boyfriends and close relatives within the household, home or compound, a place which is supposed to provide safety, security and sanctuary for a woman or a child. Unfortunately, it is within this setting that the woman and the child endure the most tortuous pain and excruciating violence; a pronounced antithesis of healthy family life or a loving and caring relationship. Why does such a foundation, ostensibly built on love, understanding, mutual support and commitment allows brutality, physical abuse, battery or forbidden or unwelcome sexual relations against its member?

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