Rwanda National Police has released a report which indicates that over 64 people including 45 women and 19 men were killed by their spouses while eight men and two women committed suicide in 2016.
The deaths are attributed to domestic violence, sex related violence, property, physical and crimes of passion.
The report was released yesterday during discussions that brought together over 200 members of ‘Urunana rw’Abanyarwandakazi’ and various government organizations under the auspices of Family Magazine that focuses on ending domestic violence.
Some women who attended the talks attributed violence to lighter punishments handed to culprits and failure or fear by victims to expose their tormentors.
“In most cases women refrain from reporting their tormentors for fear of putting away the family bread winner, the husband, and other essentials such school fees for children among other needs. Besides, when culprits are released, they return with a vengeance for revenge,” said one of the participants.
Nizeye Leonie, a member of Urunana rw’Abanyarwandakazi says that exposing domestic violence boomerangs back to especially women.
“Reporting violence cases dents wives’ image in the family as family members gang against them in case the husband is punished. They so choose keep quiet.They call you a hopeless woman,” she said.
The police spokesperson, ACP Theos Badege said that releasing statistics on domestic violence doesn’t mean that all efforts to arrest the situation are in vain but rather to encourage individuals report to authorities whenever the vice looms.
Statistics from RNP Police indicate that 254 women were beaten by their husbands while husbands beaten by wives are 52 in 2016.
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