Luanda — At least 25,728 cases of domestic violence were recorded at family counseling centres across the country in 2022, said Tuesday in the province of Luanda, Ana Paula Sacramento Neto, the minister for Social Action, Family and Promotion of Women.

While speaking at the launching act of the public consultation campaign on the review of the Domestic Violence draft law, stated that 17,725 cases were against children.

According to the official, of the mentioned figures, 15,935 were against women and 10,138 against men.

The minister said that there a main concern regarding different kinds of violence that most of women and children face, such as physical abuse with 5,151 cases, sexual assault with 1,845 cases, psychological abuse with 6,880 and economic abuse with about 9,949 cases.

Therefore, the government official acknowledged the need to boost and improve the the strategic procedures to address this phenomenon, through the creation of a new legal diploma based on prevention, protection, assistance to the victims of domestic violence that can make it possible to ensure, in a more feasible way, the criminal liability of the offender and his or her social rehabilitation.

She informed that domestic violence is not a simple issue and it is difficult to fight, especially because it usually happens within the family bosom or indoors and, therefore, the victim tends not to be able to report the aggressor, thus contributing to getting used to and continuing with the same practice.

However, Ana Paula Sacramento Neto stated that the country is facing a situation whose proper fight requires the involvement and active participation of the family, the State, the communities, Churches, the non-governmental organizations and the civil society in general. MGM/ART/MRA/jmc