Women suffer rise in domestic abuse

Published Oct 30, 2015

Share

More than 30 women have fled their homes for the Phoenix Child Welfare Society, seeking refuge from their abusive partners, over the past three months.

“Our shelter can only accommodate 22 women and their children but currently we have 30 women – excluding their children. Many of these women are fleeing their husbands and boyfriends who are abusive,” said the society’s director, Aroona Chetty.

She said the number of women coming to the shelter had risen sharply in the past five years and the shelter could no longer accommodate the large numbers.

“We are partnering with other organisations to try to help these women. Many of them come to us battered and bruised and most of them come with their children. The average number of children is three.”

Chetty said the sources of the abuse were drugs and alcohol abuse as well as extra-marital affairs.

“In most cases, when the husbands are addicted to drugs or alcohol they don’t go to work and are unable to provide for their families. The wives are then left with the duty of providing financially. The confrontation starts when the women are unable to do so and the husbands then lash out. When the husbands are intoxicated they lose all control of common sense.”

Chetty said leaving their husbands and coming to the shelter was a difficult decision for women to make.

“For some they worry about what society or family may say, others hold on to hope that things will change and be better, while others are too scared and actually fear for their lives and those of their children.”

For Chetty, the only way to reduce these social problems is to create awareness at grassroots level.

“We have a chance to shape the minds and characters of the next generation and we must take it with both hands. Teaching them at a young age about why it is wrong to lash out at people or indulge in drugs and alcohol will create a better (mindset).”

Phoenix councillor Patrick Pillay said it was shocking to note that domestic violence was escalating to the extent that the life of an individual became meaningless.

“The social evils of drugs and alcoholism are on the rise and people, when they are highly intoxicated, forget about the moral fibre of society and resort to heinous crimes. Their spouse or partner becomes the vulnerable target.”

Pillay advised women to speak out against abuse and never allow any person to exploit or assault them.

“Perpetrators of abuse must be reported to the SAPS and the social welfare departments. As a community, we must all join hands and reach out to people affected by domestic violence.”

The chairman of the Phoenix Policing Forum, Umesh Singh, said women needed to take a stand against their attackers.

“Women are too ashamed to walk out of their relationships to get the help they need. Even when they charge their partners, days later they drop the charges and reconcile… (often) the same women are beaten yet again,” Singh said. “These men take advantage because nothing is being done to stop them.”

Related Topics: