By ANDREW PHIRI –
THE Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) in Livingstone has condemned the recent acts of gender-based violence (GBV) perpetuated by women on their husbands.
Livingstone YWCA para-legal officer, Christine Mutema said the current violent acts perpetuated by women on their husbands were compromising the fight against GBV.
Ms Mutema said as per Zambian tradition and culture, women were supposed to respect their husbands.
Ms Mutema said it was important for married couples to resolve issues amicably instead of resolving to violent acts.
“If there is a conflict in a marriage, couples should resolve their differences amicably instead of resorting to violence. If they fail to resolve, the best is for couples to divorce,” Ms Mutema said.
Commenting on the Chongwe woman who sliced her husband’s private parts, Ms Mutema cautioned women against taking herbs or drugs that would sexually arouse them to an extent of demanding sex.
Ms Mutema said in the Zambian tradition and culture, women were never taught to demand sex from their husbands.
“What is happening these days is a taboo. In our Zambian culture and tradition, a woman would never demand sex from the husband.
“A woman was supposed to wait for the man to ask for sex, but what we are seeing now is a borrowed culture and a lot of our women are taking these herbs that arouse them sexually,” Ms Mutema said.
She said it was unfortunate that cases of GBV against men were on the rise and wondered what kind of culture Zambian women were trying to embrace.
Meanwhile, Cleaver Nyambe from the Victors Family Centre Church in Livingstone said a woman was not supposed to be aggressive towards their husbands from the biblical point of view.
Bishop Nyambe said it was unfortunate that women felt empowered to a level where they could do whatever they felt like doing and could be protected by the law and other organisations.
He advised women to follow Biblical teachings which suggest that women are supposed to be humble and submissive to their husbands and be home makers.
“A stable home is made by a woman. A woman must show patience and be accommodative. So a woman plays a very big role in shaping a home and society,” Bishop Nyambe said.