By far the biggest problem that women face is the violence of men.
Patriarchy
“Most young women in townships are victims of patriarchy (the belief that men are the superior and must be obeyed. Men always have an upper hand and subconsciously they assume or feel they should settle for the lower hand.
Male low self esteem
But when when they are not I charge become angry.
“My husband is jealous because I run a small business. He sees this as an insult to him. He calls me names, says I am stupid. But if I don’t do anything he still calls me stupid. Even when they my kids find jobs, they are stupid, The problem is that he is cheating and does not provide for the family”
Verbal and Emotional Abuse
“The personal challenges that i face is verbal abusive in my relationship, I an verbally, emotionally abused by someone I trusted that he will protect, love, respect and honour me no matter the situation.
“Effects of Domestic Violence in young women: Many of them suffer from psychosomatic illnesses and devastating mental problems like post-traumatic stress disorder. They find it difficult to function in their daily lives. I remember young women that I interviewed at the place of safety for child and women abuse, she mentioned that it is so difficult for her to sleep without taking tables because she constantly has nightmares, always jumpy when she hears the bang sounds. She isolated herself from friends and family members because she feels that they always judge her and take decisions for her. she feels worthless and always in bed.”
Breakdown in trust in relationships
“As a single unemployed parent who is doing everything in her power to raise her kids, it is hard to trust anyone these days be it in a relationship or even looking for work as men in high positions take advantage of the troubled women looking for work because who ever conducting the interview may take advantage of the situation.
“I am afraid of committing herself in a relationship as I am afraid of what may happen to my kids and safety for my kids is very important.”
Lack of respect for women
“Women faces difficult challenges daily. Women lives a critical life daily no matter age, height, strength, power, money or no money none the less a women should be respected, loved, protected and appreciated. Women are targets of most men in an abusive relationship she is not valued, respected, and many end up killed because of love by boyfriends, husband’s even relative’s.
No safety for women
“There’s no safety for women regardless were they are be it at home inside the house with doors locked because anything can happen and most women kill men to protect themselves. If a women is raped men says is because she exposed her body that’s why she was raped and that men think they own a women’s body.”
No safety for children
A your woman29 years she is fearful because our environment its cruel ,she mention that even in our yards we can be raped .When a child is playing and you do not see her ,were scared because even a neighbour is not trusted anymore”
Dress and Male Hypocrisy
“Men can move around with a short and a vest but if it’s a women wearing in that manner negative words will be uttered that draws attention She stated that she also lost a friend killed by her husband on their 10th anniversary, lack of safety, urgent reaction to women’s cry.”
“And the way women dresses does not say she is looking for sex or wants to be raped.
These does not say men can do as they want with women, those who raped are given a bail and no one thinks about the victim i some times ask myself if there’s justice in these country or even laws of these country who do they protect because looking at GBV is committed daily against women and children no one talks about women problems in homesteads.”
Alcohol Abuse and Violence
“Alcohol abuse has become a fashionable thing in our communities and that always creates a problems where by many young women are raped and some of the young women are found dead after being raped thrown in fields or wherever.”
Failure of the Justice System
“You could see anger on her face before she started talking. She said in their kasi they scared for their lives and don’t feel safe. She said the abuse of woman and children is so rife in their area and the justice system fail them and when they report cases of abuse the perpetrators will be walking the streets the following day. She said they even lost trust in the police because it seems like they don’t care about victims of GBV”
“And some young woman are being hunted by the ex boyfriend with a weapon, theres no safety for them although they may have opened a case for abuse or applied for a protection order but that it’s not enough because injustice is what they face because the law is always on the perpetrators side no matter the type of institutions hence many of the victims are afraid to speak because they fear for their lives.”
“She mentioned that she experienced her first domestic relationship at the age of 6 , When his father constantly physically abused her mother in her present she cried she was also assaulted by him. She tried all the avenues, case was opened and protect order but the perpetrator was not arrested, these are the main reasons when victims had lost hope in the criminal justice system and they feel helpless and depressed.”
