Worries over increasing domestic, gender-based violence

No doubt, domestic violence, which before now was accepted and tolerated as a normal way of marital life in some cultures and traditions, has become an issue of global concern.

But in recent years, it has come under the searchlight of the global community and is now being viewed as a serious crime against humanity.

As such, governments have enacted laws to punish and discourage people from engaging in domestic violence under any guise.

Groups have engaged in advocacies and enlightenment campaigns against the crime. But in spite of this, the rate of domestic violence keeps increasing and in some cases, assuming a dangerous dimension.

Women have been more vulnerable to domestic violence before now as the list of women who have been victims of domestic violence in marriage and courtship is endless, but few are often brought to the public domain.

However, in recent times, the narrative appears to be changing from domestic violence against women to gender-based violence. This is due to sudden increase in domestic violence against men, which oftentimes they find difficult to disclose, due to their ego.

The latest of such cases is the recent alleged stabbing to death of Bilyamin Muhammed Bello, son of a former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Haliru Bello by his wife, Maryam Sanda. Sanda is currently facing trial over the alleged killing.

The questions begging for answers are: “When and how is domestic violence, which has been more against women now becoming more against men, forcing the crusade to change to gender-based violence? Why has the phenomenon been on the increase, despite laws and advocacy against it? When will domestic violence end and how will it be best tackled to avoid calamities and causalities?

These and more, are the thrust of this cover story.