GBV is bad but violence against men is being ignored

IT’S NOT a case of being insensitive, but many men are increasingly becoming annoyed with women empowerment campaigns and GBV noises. If one considers the number of black men assaulted or murdered and the bizarre silence regarding this reality compared to GBV awareness programmes, it is not surprising that a lot of men are unresponsive.

Before we argue emotionally, just go to the nearest police station and mortuary and ask for statistics. It is not surprising a lot of men are “apparently” numb, which by no means suggests we do not care.

Most of us really hate hearing about and witnessing daily, the abuse of women and children and the violence by men against women. But when we compare the amount of violence in men and between men to GBV where women alone are the supposed victims, we can not help but wonder whether it is really about a caring media or government.

Come August and December every year, men are bulldozed to a feeling of guilt. Guilt does not bring repentance. The campaigns themselves are to be commended and encouraged but they do not override the facts. If the concerns of men do not merit media and government attention, then it is inevitable that GBV will become a women-only concern. GBV like all other evil and disgusting acts by humans is a product of sin or wrongdoing.

KHOTSO KD MOLEKO | Mangaung Bloemfontein