Domestic violence is where by a partner abuses his /her spouse violently, children are often abused too.
As defined in the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act (PADV) 2015, domestic violence is any form of violence against a person, threat of violence or imminent danger to that person, by any other person with whom that person is, or has been, in a domestic relationship.
For years in Kenya, domestic violence has been meted out on men, women and children and there was no specific legislation on such a crime.
In May 2015, the PADV Act was accented into law and its starting date was June 2015. This law is historical because it is the only legislation in Kenya that solely addresses violence within the family set up.
You can also read, Wife scalds husband’s genitals using hot water following a domestic row.
A demographic and health survey conducted in Kenya in 2014 showed that 38% of women respondents between the ages 15-49 have suffered domestic violence from their spouse or partner.
While women still make a huge percentage of the victims, now men are also on the receiving side and cases of men being abused by their wives have also been reported lately.
There is no way one can tell the percentage or exact figure of people abused daily because many incidents go unreported.
In Kenya there is a culture of keeping out of other’s relationships. The police will not investigate cases which involve relationships as these are considered ‘private affairs’. In cases reported to the police, the perpetrators are called, warned or dealt with. They will promise not to repeat the acts but never keep the promise once back home.
Individuals who are victims of domestic violence seek medical treatment in case of injuries while others don’t.
Marriage is meant to unite two people from different back grounds and form a family where love and respect is the key factor but nowadays things have changed where you can find a husband assault, abuse his wife or even kill her.
So the question remains where does the first love go? What do normally make or drive husbands commit such erroneous acts to their wives?
Domestic violence is a cycle that leads to damaged lives and death is some cases. Cases where a spouse committed suicide and also killed or attempted to kill their children after quarreling with the spouse have also been reported.
There is a case where a husband burnt his son due to a misunderstanding between him and his wife; another one threw his child in a pit latrine over the same, and then there is a husband who threw his child in the river due to wrangles between him and the wife.
There is one man who threw himself in a borehole due to disagreement with his wife, another one hanged himself.
Men tend to be very strong when such incidences occur but you imagine the one who does all the above and conclude whether and why men are turning wild.
Children who live in a household of domestic violence are affected psychologically at an early age thus affecting their lifetime behavior or their performance in school.
All this can be controlled when these two parties can sit and talk.
Having enough sleep, eating healthy fats, exercising, finding passion in life can help reduce depression that results fro domestic violence.
Couples are advised to be solving the problem the way it is and not unleashing all their anger into doing something that will bring regrets for the rest of life.
When a husband and wife disagree, their feelings should not be extended to innocent children who do not know what, how, where and why the disagreement emanated.
Domestic violence is a crime and those going through it be it the wife or the husband should be free to report the matter to relevant authorities for the law to take its course.
Nobody was born to be abused violently. SAY NO TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.