Judith Ngozo,
A small two roomed cottage in Epworth has become a center of hope and rejuvenation for victims and perpetrators of Gender Based Violence.
Instant Truth and Justice Forum educates the community members on Domestic Violence, Women’s Rights and offer rescue and rehabilitation to survivors and victims of domestic violence.
With the anticipation of reducing Gender Based Violence or totally eliminating the deadly social-ill, on a zero budget and her big heart, Esther Choruma is working with other community members in Epworth to support and educate people on the effects of GBV to society.
Choruma and other community advocates investigates and monitors domestic violence cases, offer reconciliation and temporal food and shelter to the affected victims.
Thirty-eight years old Marjory Jonga was evicted from her matrimonial home by her husband and found refugee in the garage. She was forced out of the house during the night by her husband and was assisted by one of the GBV advocates.
“Domestic Violence is rife in Epworth, on average one severe case of domestic violence is being reported to the forum,” says Choruma
Women in Epworth are being entrenched in the violent marriages because of the combined effects of illiteracy, economic disempowerment and widely believed harmful religious and cultural practices.
The forum offers counselling, referral hospitals and women’s lawyers, reporting cases to police and conduct court follow up.
“As a group we meet on Mondays, were we hold discussions on how best we can prevent GBV,” Choruma added.
Women are not only enduring abusive marriages but also exposing themselves to STIs and HIV/AIDS due to their husband’s risk behaviours.
Without education for transformation, more women will continue to be killed, injured, raped, destitute and forced into early child marriage.
“It is crucial to understand the concerns of a person involved in GBV, she stays because she has to. In most cases she is financially unstable and she stays because she relies financially on that person,”
Women are victims and survivors of domestic violence and forced evictions together with their children remain the primary target group
The community focused programme all community members are targeted without discrimination including community leadership, stakeholders, women, men and children.
Transformed survivors of domestic violence are now role models and agents of change in their own communities.
