Address violence with coordinated efforts

ADDRESSING domestic violence requires a coordinated community response that includes healthcare facilities, law enforcement agencies, non-profit organisations, schools that serve victims’ children and effective public policy.
Survivors require legal support to access justice, medical treatment, psychosocial support and often, especially in the case of intimate partner violence, assistance with finding emergency shelter and livelihood support to enable them to leave their homes
Even if they access medical reports from health workers with the intent to report an incident to police, many opt not to go to police stations.
The fear of insensitive responses from police, fear of being followed to a police station by their attacker or attacker’s family, lack of detailed information about their legal rights or legal processes, shame at having been assaulted and fear of possible retaliatory consequences from the accused party or his (or her) family all contribute to client attrition from referral systems.
These and other factors are causing the delay in processing such cases right to the court room and to when justice is served.
While the law is there to protect and support survivors or victims, a clear pathway should be readily available.
Leaving an abusive relationship can be exceedingly difficult – and inadequate services to help women plan for and cope after leaving makes it even more difficult.
The challenge we see now is on the police and prosecutors to pursue investigations or criminal charges against people who commit family violence – even in cases of attempted murder, serious injury or repeated rape rather than allow to resolve them through mediation and/or the payment of compensation.
Domestic violence ruins lives.

Pihi NGI