Women’s foundation addressing GBV cases in Tari

By LULU MAGINDE
WITH Tari’s family sexual violence unit closed for the past two weeks, a local women’s non-governmental organisation has stepped in to fill the void.
Marilyn Tabagua, founder of Tari-based Women’s Development Foundation, told The National that in January alone, they had dealt with three gender-based violence (GBV) cases, all of which required a lawyer.
Something that the foundation is currently on the lookout for, a lawyer.
“One of the cases, a woman was married for 14 years, endured physical and emotional abuse for that long and when paid back the bride price money and left, her ex-husband and his clansmen destroyed their house with her belongings inside,” she said.
Tabagua explained that as the victim was the sole breadwinner for their three children and one of the man’s many wives, she was granted an interim protection order by the district court.
Another of the three cases was that of a woman who got married in 2008 while she was still in grade six. ‘ The victim who shall be referred to as Maria has five children with her ex-husband, who broke both her arms twice.
Maria was also forcibly told to leave the home by her ex-husband but when she fled to her family home, her family told her to go back to her husband and to endure the abuse because he had already paid bride price.
Both women are survivors of domestic abuse after enduring beatings to the brink of death.
They are now safe, thanks to the Women’s Development Foundation.
Tabagua said that with more news spreading of the work that they do, the more support she’s going to need especially to help with restraining orders and family custody matters.
“We need women community officers to spread awareness of GBV but also lawyers.
“A lot of the men who have been beating their wives think that they can get away with it because so far, no one has gone to jail yet.
“They still don’t see it as a punishable offence and its about time women in this country stood up for their rights,” she said.