26 Aug 2019

African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnership (ACHAP) chairperson, Mr Masima Malomo says domestic violence is real and that it is important to educate and inform people on issues of domestic violence as it affects all.

He said this during a domestic violence awareness campaign in Francistown recently.

He said the purpose of the campaign was to educate the public about domestic violence and appeal to the public to join in the fight against violence, HIV and TB.

As for the theme: Ending domestic violence which leads to new HIV/TB infections, Mr Malomo said there was no way they could talk about domestic violence without talking about HIV and TB as the two corresponded to each other.

Assistant gender affairs officer, Ms Maipelo Mogatwane said domestic violence was a concern to the nation because it had led to the deaths and injuries of a lot of people. 

“Domestic violence affects both men and women, but often times the victims are women while men are often the perpetrators,” she said.

She said women were negatively affected by violence daily such as physical and emotional abuses, sexual and economical violence. 

She added that each type of violence and abuse directly contributed to the spread of new HIV and TB infections.

Ms Mogatwane noted that physical abuse and emotional violence made victims live in fear.

 She said victims would normally have no say in decision making and were usually instructed to do whatever the perpetrator wanted, good or bad.

“Victims are unable to negotiate for safe sex and this puts them in risk of being infected with new infections of HIV and TB.” 

She also said people who were dependent on others were vulnerable to be controlled by perpetrators, urging women to work hard in order to be able to fend for themselves.

She said the other issue that lead to the spread of HIV and TB was the fear of revealing ones’ status to partners in a relationship for fear of being judged and blamed.

Ms Mogatwane said it was important for partners to be open with each other, as it would promote transparency in the relationship and help curb the spread of new infections.

Kgosi Maleshwane Bakwena of Monarch urged residents of Pelotelele ward to get tested and know their status. 

“Knowing your status will help you know how to deal with the outcomes well in time,” she said.

Kgosi Bakwena further urged parents to support and care for their children as children often complained that parents stopped caring or giving them advises because they ‘think children were old enough to fend for themselves.’

This, she said, was one of the reasons why youth were most impacted by issues of HIV and TB because without proper guidance they ended up engaging in intergenerational relationships which put them in danger of contracting HIV/AIDS.

Lekgaba Hill Primary School head, Mr Shadrack Jani appealed to parents to play their role and provide care to their children. “Before teachers can notice that there is something with your child, as a parent you should have noticed it first,” he said.

Councillor Badubi Lekang thanked ACHAP for forming a committee in Pelotelele ward, saying it would help in fighting against domestic violence and the spread of HIV and TB.

She urged parents to build a rapport with their children to make it easier for children to talk to them on issues affecting them. Ends