TABLES have turned. This best describes the situation many men in the country find themselves in as they continue to suffer painful shame resulting from beatings they suffer at the hands of their spouses.
And enough seems to be enough for about 20 married men in Sumbawanga municipality of Rukwa who decided to brave the stigma and ridicule associated with the social anomaly by breaking their silence, claiming that they get a thorough beating and are abandoned by their spouses.
The-in-charge of Police Gender Violence and Children Desk in Sumbawanga, Corporal of Police, Ms Germana Mfwomi, told the ‘Daily News on Saturday’ on the sidelines of the introduction and inau guration of a project against gender-based violence (GBV), here in the municipality.
The project will be implemented by Peace Relief Organisation (PRO), a NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO) funded by the Foundation of Civil Society (FCS) which will be implemented in two phases.
It was reported that about 15 married men confessed before the desk in Sumbawanga and five opened up to officials from Sumbawanga municipality welfare that they have been ruthlessly beaten and abandoned by their spouses.
Expounding, Ms Mfwomi alleged that only three married men voluntarily rushed to the Police Gender Violence and Children desk and reported to have been ruthlessly beaten by their spouses.
“But, about 13 married men whose wives rushed to the police desk complaining of being severely beaten and kicked out of the houses by their husbands, however, after a thorough investigation on the incidents by questioning the two parties ….
“We (the police desk) uncovered that it was the husbands who had been beaten by their spouses, who admitted that after being beaten by their spouses they felt embarrassed so they decided to kick out their wives, who in turn rushed to the police desk and complained being beaten by their husbands which it was not true,” added Ms Mfwomi.
She further said that about 10 cases of schoolgirls from both primary and secondary schools in Sumbawanga municipality in the region, being raped and impregnated are reported each month at the Police Gender Violence and Children desk.
The Sumbawanga Municipality Welfare Officer, Ms Herry Sanga, alleged that about five married young men aged above 30 years of age have so far voluntarily reported to her office that they are often beaten by their spouses for reasons best known to their wives.
She further noted that the number of married men being beaten by their wives could be higher because most of them shun reporting to relevant organs such incidences for fear of being embarrassed and marginalised.
According to Ms Sanga between 40 and 50 cases of GBV are reported each month at her office here in municipality. The Sumbawanga District Administrative Secretary (DAS), Ms Christina Mzena, who represented the Sumbawanga District Commissioner (DC), Dr Halfan Haule, said shortly before launching the project that the government is keen to ensure it works closely with NGOs in the precinct.