When the Saints head of trauma counselling Roselyn Hamisi has urged community members in Dowa District to help fight gender-based violence (GBV).
She said this on Saturday when the district concluded the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against GBV whose observance starts on November 25 to December 10.
Hamisi said: “Every person must be able to listen more, believe more and be able to support what a GBV victim is telling you.
“If we do this to anyone who has suffered GBV, we will be better. It should start with the community. We have a role to play in this.”
She said it was sad that the district continues to record GBV cases, especially on girls.
“From July to December this year, we have 73 girls in safe homes who were sexually abused. This is giving us a picture that abuses are common,” she said.
Speaking in separate interview, Mponela Police Station Victim Support Unit coordinator Inspector Marina Tchoka said her office was receiving many GBV cases, especially defilement.
She said the abuses were risking the future of many girls in the district.
“As police, we will intensify our efforts to ensure that we bring to book perpetrators,” said Tchoka.
When the Saints take GBV survivors to their safe homes for psychosocial counselling and other support.
The organisation works with Mponela Police Station and other organisations to fight GBV in the district
