Saying ‘gender-based violence’ is now a cliché, so, check out our alternative

Historically, women had virtually been the only receivers of torment at the domestic front—courtesy of cruel husbands.  Or so reports showed. 

Children have suffered too in the hands of everybody in the homestead, including house-helps and older siblings. In this sense, the media would report such cases of localized cruelty as “domestic violence”.

Increasingly, cases of husbands being bashed by their wives are being recorded. More and more men are coming out to reveal that their wives are beating them. 

Outside the homestead, cases of violence pitting men against women and vice versa are presently rampant too, irrespective of marital status. 

Young men and young women in a relationship tend to resort to bullying as a way of “teaching” each other “good manners”. So, the term “domestic violence” was virtually discarded. “Gender-based violence”, in short GBV, has come to the fore.

However, the term “gender-based violence” has become a cliché, hence, boring.  We therefore suggest—albeit at the risk of annoying NGO-speak fanatics—that when you’re talking about a husband beating his wife, just be straight about it.

Headlines should read: ‘Man accused of beating wife’ and not ‘Man accused of committing gender-based violence against his wife.’

Let’s now look at this headline that appeared on a Friday, November 7 daily, which reads: ‘Male victims urged to report gender-based violence cases’.

It’s a story in which a senior police officer encourages men not to remain silent when they’re bashed by their wives or girlfriends. How about this more direct headline: Men urged to report when women beat them’.

A  Kigoma resident, one Ms AP, quoted as purportedly saying in regard to violence amongst couples: “The root cause of many of these issues is that some engage in secret affairs EVEN when their marriages are in trouble...”

The use of the adjective “even” in the above quote gives the impression that it’s when a couple’s marriage is NOT in trouble (peaceful) that they’re expected to indulge in secret affairs (read cheating)! We assume the adjective was inadvertently inserted.

By the way, Page 1 of the same edition had a story entitled, ‘Editors Forum, Media Council want probe on polls violence’ and the scribbler says this in his intro:

“Leading media organisations are asking for a thorough investigation into widespread challenges and violence during and after the general ELECTIONS on October 29.”    

It bores us stiff when we’re forced to remind our scribbling colleagues—again and again—that what takes place in Bongo after every five years isn’t general “elections” but “a general ELECTION” in which case we go to the polls to choose a president, MPs and councillors. However, if you’re keen on using the word “elections,” then drop the adjective “general.” Simply say: October 29 elections.

In another publication dated Saturday, September 13, there’s a Page 4 story entitled, ‘Mutukula residents celebrates water projects launch’.

In Para 6, the scribbler reports on one of the activities undertaken by the Uhuru Torch bearers: “During its race in Kagera Region, the Uhuru Torch inaugurated and laid foundation stones ON 18 projects worth Sh23.8bn across eight councils…”

Lay foundation stones on…? Nope; we say…lay foundation stones FOR…

In the last paragraph, the scribbler writes: “Residents EXPRESSED joy that their water woes WILL finally be addressed…” There’s grammatical inconsistency here and we’ll sort it out thus: “Residents EXPRESSED joy that their water woes WOULD finally be addressed…”

On Monday, October 17, another publication purports to quote the scribbler’s key source as saying: “We in the government have reflected on the need to have a ministry that will handle WITH youth affairs...”

An esteemed reader, one George S, who drew our attention to this one, says the preposition “with” is a spoiler and should’ve been deleted. We agree with him.

Ah, this treacherous language called English!