‘Rise against Domestic Violence’

Becky Uba Umenyili

The Catholic Women Organisation of Nigeria (CWO) has called on the government and other good-willed citizens to arise against the incessant increase of domestic violence, especially against women in the country.

Speaking during the body’s annual seminar held  recently in Ikeja, Lagos, the President of the Ikeja Deanery of the body, Mrs Joan Uwechie, observed that the rate of domestic violence in the country has increased tremendously and consequently inflicting serious harm on the psychic of children.

Uwechie noted that the impact of the heinous act on families is more debilitating than the act, as most children now assume violence and aggression to be a normal way of life.

According  her, most boys are  dropping out of school due to cases of bullying and the girls becoming easy targets for sexual assault.

Lamenting the various demoralising effects of the act during the seminar tagged ‘Domestic Violence,’  she cautioned women against inciting problems in their homes, noting that verbal abuse is as bad as physical abuse.

She advised women to avoid attitudes that can aggravate issues and lead to physical combats in their homes.

In her contribution, the Special Guest to the event, Rev Sister Maureen Iwu (EHJ), said that marriage is a an institutionalised entity through which the society is developed and norms and values are established in every sector of human endeavours and encouraged women to forgive injuries and build their homes on love and tolerance. 

She, however, noted that for life-threatening cases, the Catholic Church has made provisions for temporal separation, visitations with  counselling and reconciliation in order to rebuild broken relationships and homes for peace and a progressive society.

She said the church has also cancelled the option of divorce for wedded couples which is evidently rife with unforgiveness, malice, trauma and separation.