Maria David
IT is okay not to be okay, says Oshana Region’s police chief, Naftal Lungameni Sakaria.
Speaking during a Men’s Conference currently underway at Ongwediva, Sakaria said that it is better to cry rather than bubbling up with anger.
The men are deliberating on Gender Based Violence (GBV).
Sakaria indicated that cases of GBV in the Oshana Region are worrisome and need to be addressed.
He noted that last year alone, a total of 3 499 cases of GBV were reported. Of these figures, 477 women and 41 men were raped, 31 women and 20 men were murdered.
A total of 767 cases of GBV in which minors were the victims, were also reported. 577 minors were raped and 8 murdered.
He thanked conference organisers saying:
“Initiatives of this nature provide a much needed platform where men can increase their understanding on causes, effects and consequences of violent acts towards women and girls”.
He added that recently they have been witnessing an increase of incidents of men becoming violent towards other men and men committing suicide.
Sakaria indicated that toxic masculinity comes from the cultural indoctrination of the male role belief system.
He explains that positive masculinity promotes equality, respect and dignity of all people irrespective of their gender.
The Deputy Minister of Marginalised Communities, Royal ǀUiǀoǀoo, called on men to embrace positive masculinity as a way to address the rising problem of violence against women and children in the country.
According to him, 85% of sexual and domestic violence survivors are women and one in every four young women have survived intimate partner violence.
He said that 93% of the perpetrators of intimate violence are men.
