Let’s all pitch in and play our part get an opportunity to empower

We cannot look away anymore. The reality is that we have monsters among us as fathers, brothers, cousins, friends and some who even pretend to be our protectors. These people are out there and they are unguarded, ready to pounce on every opportunity to satisfy their evil desires.

Out of the blues Malawi has found itself fighting against a new and strange enemy. There is no denying that the country is faced with an unprecedented surge of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases.

For all our failings in other fronts, for long we have pride ourselves as a people who hold high regard of our sexes. As countries near us and beyond were soiling their reputation with escalating cases of rape, child molestation and various forms of sexual abuse, our numbers in similar vices were not alarming.

Not that we had a complete clean slate on the issue, but comparatively our case was not as bad. But fast-forward to today, Malawi has become a different place for our sisters, our old mothers and sadly our little daughters as well.

Not a day passes without hearing of a reported case of rape or any other form of sexual abuse somewhere in the country. It has become that bad. As the cases continue to soar at an alarming rate, nobody has come up with conclusive evidence as to what has led to the status quo.

While we continue searching for the answers our societies, our families and relationships keep getting broken and injured by this vice. We are a people reeling in pain and shame. Man is doing to a fellow man what nobody imagined possible before.

We cannot look away anymore. The reality is that we have monsters among us as fathers, brothers, cousins, friends and some who even pretend to be our protectors. These people are out there and they are unguarded, ready to pounce on every opportunity to satisfy their evil desires.

What kind of a human being lusts for a three month old baby? What kind of a being goes to bed with his own biological child? It is no longer a safe space out there. Sadly the space appears to be getting narrower for safety as numbers of these perverts keep rising.

One thing that we can’t deny is that this is a societal problem. Among many factors. Someone within our societies is sending out poisonous messages somewhere. Maybe in form of strange beliefs or otherwise.

So, the first step to deal with the problem is to address the issue at the society level itself. The people who make up our communities, our families and ultimately our world need to be engaged at all levels to tackle the GBV issue from all angles.

They need to be told how devastating it is to defile a child, they need to be schooled that raping a girl doesn’t make one a full man and they need to be told there are no gains in going to bed with elderly women.

In our societies we have individuals who shape opinion and dictate the narratives. We have artists, sports stars and other personalities who are highly regarded in the society. This moment these people need to be called upon to help us raise a voice against this vice.

I have derived a lot of encouragement on the efforts that have been displayed by a number of creatives who have decided to take this battle head on using their art. In mind comes painter MadalitsoZiwaoh who appears not to be relenting in trying to change the narrative using his paintings and drawings.

Ziwaoh and others have shown a good sense of responsibility on how we can all use our different talents and gifts in trying to win this fight. It is a problem that has threatened our identity as a people. If we look away the vice may leave a lasting stain in the way we exist not for this generation but even the generations ahead.

Let us all collectively pitch in and play our rightful role in making sure that we deal with this problem sooner than yesterday. There is no place for GBV in the modern age.