Let’s not lose sight of fight against domestic violence

Mid last month, a video made the rounds on social media platforms of a man battering an elderly woman. It later emerged that the man was 30-year-old Brian Okello, a resident of Ongako Sub-county in Omoro District, and the woman he was pounding was his 83-year-old grandmother. Ms Lucy Anek’s crime: failure to share part of her money with Okello who wanted to go on a drinking spree.

This week, Gulu Chief Magistrate Francis Dawa Matenga sentenced Okello to seven years in jail for attempted murder after pleading guilty, a lighter sentence because the magistrate says Okello did not waste the court’s time. Okello’s is just one of the cases of domestic violence that have been reported to be on the rise during this Covid-19 lockdown.

Addressing journalists in Kampala this week, minister of State for Gender and Culture Affairs, Ms Peace Regis Mutuuzo, blamed the problem on falling income in homes, poor communication skills and not being able to stay together. Citing the recent data from Uganda Police Force, the minister said violence against children and gender-based violence have worsened. In just four months, she said, cases of violence against children were 1,967.

It is important to recognise government’s efforts in dealing with the problem over the years. The 1995 Constitution and broader normative and policy frameworks are supportive and address issues of domestic violence. But despite these regulations, guidelines, protocols and even district level laws and ordinances, more needs to be done, especially during this time of the lockdown.

For instance, when making response plans for the Covid-19 pandemic, priority should also be given to services dealing with domestic violence cases. We have recently seen the legal instrument issued out by the Health ministry amended to add more categories on the list of essential workers. Services dealing with domestic violence cases should be among.

Government should also ensure that lockdown measures do not penalise people seeking support when experiencing domestic violence. This should enable the victims seek help by going to the hospital or police even during curfew.

Finally, authorities should allocate adequate resources for services for survivors. Ms Anek was fortunate to receive treatment at Flama Uganda clinic, an NGO, but not all victims are as lucky. More money should be made available to the deal with these cases, especially at the district level.

As we continue the fight against Covid-19, let us not lose sight of domestic violence and water down the achievements gained over the years.