By Lumbiwe Mwanza
ZAMBIA National Men’s Network for Gender and Development National Coordinator, Nelson Banda says there needs to be continuous efforts in encouraging and promoting men to report all forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV) acts against them in view of creating a more inclusive environment.
Mr. Banda says GBV is a crime against humanity and can be sexual, physical, verbal, psychological, and economic and that both men and women should seek legal protection in circumstances that violate human rights.
“We have noted that when abuse involves physical violence, battered men do not report the abuse out of fear that they would be laughed at, humiliated, or reversely accused of being the abuser due to a belief that men are physically capable of fighting back when being challenged,” Mr. Banda said.
Mr. Banda says there is a need for more engagement of men in the process of eliminating GBV as it can help increase men participation in such issues thereby eliminating GBV in most communities.
He adds that figures now suggest that one in three victims of domestic violence are male yet little progress is being made to see more men reporting acts of GBV against them.
He adds that Zambia should not relent in promoting the end of GBV both for women and men as GBV has continued to have a negative impact on national development.
