![]() ![]() Ineffective laws pose a big challenge to the fight against VAW. We are also waiting to hear from the Pornographic Control Committee to advise on the way forward,” Maggie Kyomukama, the assistant commissioner for gender and women affairs in the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) said. “We are aware of the cyber forms of VAW like revenge porn, but that is an area for the Uganda Communications Commission to handle. The government remains largely unprepared to handle some new forms of VAW, especially cyber abuse. Today she is working to rehabilitate fellow women who have gone through the same experience. This lady (who requested anonymity) was abused for several years through corrective rape and by her own partner. “‘Concerned’ relatives hand you over to a man to have sex with you to stop you from being a lesbian,” one young woman said. Because of the negative attitudes about lesbianism in Ugandan society, victims find it difficult to report. “We have received many complaints from lesbian women who claim to have been forced into heterosexual sex by their families as a way to correct their sexual orientation,” Ms. ![]() ![]() “Unless we put in place effective laws and equip law enforcement organs with modern technology and skills to handle these cases, the situation will only worsen,” says Anna Mutavati, the deputy country representative for UN Women Uganda.Ĭorrective rape is also rife as a form of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAW/G). This form of abuse thrives on an absence of proper legislation and a lack of investigative expertise among Ugandan law enforcement officers. “In all the revenge porn cases, women have been singled out for criticism while the offending men are never followed up,” says Eunice Musiime, the executive director of Akina Mama wa Africa, a pan-African women’s organization. Luzinda’s incident, over 10 women have had their nude pictures leaked on social media by jilted lovers, resulting in public shaming and ridicule. Luzinda, who was charged under the 2014 Anti-Pornographic Act. “I want to apologise to my mother, daughter, family, friends, fans and any other people who have been offended by these images.… This was a breach of trust by someone I loved.… This person has not only abused that trust but now seeks to drag me down,” said Ms. In 2014 Desire Luzinda, a celebrated Ugandan musician, made a public apology after her ex- boyfriend leaked her nude pictures on social media. In other cases, jilted lovers expose nude pictures of their ex-girlfriends on social media platforms in what is locally called “revenge porn”. I blocked him,” said Monica Amoding, a politician. When I picked up the call, the guy on the other side started groping his genitals. “I recently received a WhatsApp call from a strange number. An increasing number of women are, for instance, reporting cyber-bullying and abuse through social media and smartphones. Violence against women has recently taken new, more sophisticated forms. ![]() This translates to more than 1 million women exposed to sexual violence every year in Uganda. The report also revealed that annually, 13% of women aged 15 to 49 report experiencing sexual violence. The 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey revealed that up to 22% of women aged 15 to 49 in the country had experienced some form of sexual violence. Violence against women is on the increase in Uganda despite the presence of laws and policies to protect victims and survivors.Īccording to the Uganda Police Force’s annual crime report, gender-based violence cases that were reported and investigated increased by 4% (from 38,651 to 40,258 cases) between 20. She gave up until staff from International Justice Mission, a US-based international NGO focusing on human rights, law and law enforcement, intervened. At the administrator-general’s office, a file was opened, but it later disappeared. Ozitya could not raise $3 to facilitate the investigation. “When he died, they forced me out of our home and destroyed our garden,” said Ms. She says harassment is commonplace in Parliament but often goes unreported “because we fear the consequences.”Įlsewhere, in Mukono, 21 km east of Uganda’s capital, Kampala, Grace Ozitya has battled with her in-laws for years to regain her deceased husband’s property. He kept knocking at my door in the night. Another one hounded me during an MPs’ trip abroad. “I once had my breasts squeezed by a male colleague old enough to be my father. The bubbly MP has been the target of sexual harassment by senior male colleagues. “I love my job, but sometimes I wonder if I am in the right place,” she said. One year later, the youthful MP feels frustrated. Hope of changing her constituency for the better. On her first day at the august House, she was full of hope. She had always dreamed of becoming a powerful politician, and her excitement on finally joining Parliament was overwhelming. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |