Times Of Swaziland: VIOLENCE IS PREVALENT IN OUR HOMES

VIOLENCE IS PREVALENT IN OUR HOMES
================================================================================
The Editor on 08/04/2021 07:38:00


Sir,
Violence is prevalent in our homes, schools and even in our cities. I believe
that not enough is being done to create awareness and to reduce it. Our lack of
communication skills and insecurities are what leads to many people physically
abusing others. The desire to show off to others about how powerful we truly are
is another trait that leads to violence. The desire to take revenge and prove a
point cannot be ruled out. Parents and teachers alike revert to violence when
they cannot freely express themselves or when others do not obey them. When we
realise that others too have rights and that violence does not solve problems,
but worsens situations, perhaps then we will stop using brute force to prove our
strength. Power is a myth.
Pride
The pride with which people speak when they relate, how they beat up another
denotes the sort of upbringing they are privy to. It becomes obvious that in
their homes beating others is a common occurrence. I then ask, if the very
parents who are supposed to be an example to the children behave in such a
manner, who then will be their role models? It is not uncommon for women to
attack men physically and beat them up. We should not bluff ourselves and
believe that it is only men who assault women. In a perfect country, men would
be able to lay charges against violent women, however, upon men arriving at the
police station to report abuse, they are made fun of by the people who are
supposed to assist them. Our country will not have genuine statistics on assault
with intent to do grievous bodily harm as survivors of violence prefer to suffer
in silence.
Unclear
In days gone by, one would advise parents to deal with children who beat up
other children, but nowadays one gets told off in no unclear terms to mind their
own business and sort out their own children. When we physically assault
another, it is very easy to let this escalate to something even bigger, because
while in a state of anger one cannot think logically; this is how assault
escalates to murder. Society should not condone such acts and I believe we can
each take a step towards stopping the violence. We should not remain silent and
opt to think that since it does not directly affect us, we should just ignore
it. It is now time to speak up against abuse whether physically or emotionally.