Church, Police Fight Gender Based Violence in Ndirande

African Evangelical Church and Ndirande Police station have vowed to work together in order to intensify the fight against gender-based violence in the area.

The Victim Support Unit desk under the Community policing branch took the campaign to the church which is located in the area of Group village headman Somanje Makata with an aim of sensitizing the female congregates about gender-based violence.

Speaking to the audience that gathered in the church, Sub Inspector Zelipher Mulli who is the Victim support unit coordinator, lamented on the rising numbers of gender-based violence cases which she challenged are mostly committed by the faithful.

” Each day we register cases of defilement, early child marriages, physical and economical abuse all being perpetrated by both men and women”, said Mulli.

Taking his turn, Sergeant Katimba who is the Crime prevention officer for the offense, informed women that there is a sharp rise in the number of registered cases of women abusing men. He said that this has been attributed to mass sensitization meetings which his office has intensified which are meant to encourage men to report such cases to police.

Speaking earlier during the meeting, Mrs. Agnes Phiri who represented the female congregates thanked Ndirande police station for taking the initiative to the church saying she now believes that Police is indeed reformed. “In the past no-one would think that the police could come close and interact with church members,” said Phiri.

She promised that the church will disseminate the message further to the whole congregation and to ensure that there is a smooth process, an interim committee was erected.

Ndirande police station has recently intensified efforts to fight gender-based violence in its area of jurisdiction.