Kitgum registers surge in domestic violence cases during lockdown

Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Cases of domestic violence within rural and urban areas in Kitgum district are on the rise. District officials say the surge is a direct result of the current COVID-19 lockdown that has left many people trapped in their homes.

Kitgum district senior probation and welfare officer Michael Ogweng says that a total of 415 cases related to domestic violence were reported to probation and police officers between April and May 2020, as the government maintained a lockdown to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the 415 cases, 174 were reported in the month of April while 237 cases were reported in May in the nine sub-counties and three divisions within Kitgum Municipality.

Ogweng says the hostile environment at home where abusive parents have been trapped in the same home has seen transgression of violence to children a matter that has become alarming. For instance, between April and May alone, there were 49 cases of child neglect, 17 cases of child desertion, 18 cases of suspected defilement and four child disappearances.

In one of the cases, a primary six pupil of Akworo Primary school in Labongo Amida Ssub-county died early last month when her father bartered her for reportedly visiting her boyfriend. Ogweng says their team of community development officers are currently conducting door to door sensitization, counselling and mediation to see to an end the vices.

Labongo Amida sub county chairperson Wilfred Nyeko told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that they have received a maximum of seven cases related to domestic violence on a daily basis during the lockdown. He notes that most of the cases emanate from quarrels, physical abuse and child abuse fueled by conflicts between couples at home.

According to Nyeko, most of the cases have been handled at the sub-county level while capital domestic violence cases were forwarded for prosecution to the police.

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