ALCOHOL TOPS LIST OF FACTORS CAUSING SGBV IN WEST NILE

Police in West Nile region have identified alcohol as the primary factor for increasing cases of Sexual/Gender Based Violence (S/GBV). Statistics from the Child and Family Protection Unit at Arua Central Police Station indicates that, more than 200 GBV cases were reported between January and August 2022. This figure shot-up from 160cases as was reported last year, and police attribute the increase to high rate of alcohol consumption in families which also results to poverty. The Head of Child & Family Protection Unit at Arua Central Police Station, ASP Jimmy Anguyo states that, the department now considers building relationship among partners and maintaining peace among partners. 

"We have the responsibility to sermon them to come to police, and one thing I must make clear is that, as Child and Family Protection Unit, we don't rush cases to court unless they are aggregated but if minor cases like fighting, we call the parties for counseling and guidance" Anguyo explains.

^{ASP Jimmy Anguyo speaking}

The Police report puts domestic violence as the most reported and handled case by the department at 186 between January and August this year alone. Other cases reported include, defilement (216), rape (12) and indecent assault (03). While sharing her experience, a single mother in Madi-Okollo District, Kemisa Ambako who was abandoned by the husband more than 20 years ago explains that, some men always takeover women properties and chooses to drink off.

West Nile Regional Police Spokesperson, ASP Josephine Angucia says, police is using community policy programs for sensitization and counselling as a preventive measures of GBV. "As police, we have actually realized that it is very important to involve men in the fight against Gender Based Violence, that is why in most of police station now, we have the in-charges of Child and Family Protection Unit as being men (to do counseling) because they can best counsel their fellow men who are seen to be majority of the perpetrators” she explains. 

Many local governments in West Nile region passed the alcohol ordinance to prevent cases like domestic violence, but implementation still remains a challenge in some districts remaining as a major problem to address the increasing cases of domestic violence as resulting from alcohol consumption.

STORY BY: MAHJUB SHABAN