Domestic Violence Worrisome
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Monday October 9, 2017 16:39
Speaking at Barclays Bank Cheque donation at the centre in Broadhurst recently, she pointed out that last year, the centre registered about 1,223 domestic violence cases, which included physical, emotional and financial abuse.
“In the mentioned statistics, we had 344 men who 70% to 75% of them report their cases because their partners have reported them. We also registered 48 cases of working women, 52 tertiary educated women whom 45% of them are married.
This statistics shows that no one is immune to domestic violence. Anyone can be a victim of it,” she said. She pointed out that even though some people still believed that domestic violence was non existant and was only shown in movies, it was real and many families across the country and around the world at large were affected by it one way or another. Moalusi-Sakufiwa added that some families had even lost breadwinners and were left stranded, as they had no one to take care of them.
Furthermore, she said that the shelter that had been in existence for 19 years provided counseling services to men, women and children. She said the centre also managed to get services from three local legal service companies that had vowed to help them freely whilst their clients are given minimum charges so that they could easily access legal assistance. “We also provide a temporary and emergency shelter and feed them. Our shelter operates 24 hours because we also attend to emergency issues. We also admit children. Previously we had an issue of trafficked children whom we had to accommodate in the shelter and feed them,” she said.
However, just like any other non governmental organisation (NGO), Moalusi-Sakufiwa pointed out that they have financial challenges, especially after European countries stopped financial aid because Botswana was classified as a financially stable developing country. She said they needed some money to feed, transport their clients to courts, schools, medical health facilities and keep the shelter running.
She added that they were raising public awareness on domestic violence because they realised that even though some people were abused, they were afraid to open up. She further thanked Barclays Bank employees for their continued support towards the shelter. Moalusi-Sakufiwa further called on other business entities to take part in supporting local NGOs.
For her part, Barclays Bank COO Keabetswe Pheko said they found it fit to support the centre as it was supporting different communities. She said domestic violence was disheartening because everyday on social media, there was a case of violence going on.“The relationship with the centre started back in 2015. We used to donate foods, toiletry and other necessities. It is a shelter like this that improves our communities. We are here to continue supporting you,” she said. The bank donated a whooping P30,000 to the shelter.
According to Keitumetse Keakile who is one of the counselors at Kagisano, the money would help the shelter, as most of their customers come to them empty handed and therefore they are forced to clothe and feed them. She said sometimes a lactating mother would go to them with a baby without formula milk.