WHAT happens behind closed doors can no longer be used to shield intimate partner violence from public scrutiny, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) has declared as it challenges families and communities to break the silence surrounding abuse.
ZGC chairperson Dr Leslie Ncube yesterday delivered a pointed message that domestic violence should not be dismissed as an internal disagreement between partners, warning that silence and delayed intervention could allow conflict to escalate with devastating consequences.
“Intimate partner violence cannot be dismissed as a private family matter,” Ncube said.
“It is a human rights, gender equality, social and development concern that requires a coordinated national response.”
His remarks came as the Commission launched a 90-day National Campaign Against Intimate Partner Violence running from October to December and culminating in the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
While women and girls remain disproportionately affected by gender-based violence, the Commission is also widening the conversation to include men and boys whose experiences of abuse may remain hidden.
Ncube said stereotypes surrounding masculinity could discourage male victims from admitting that they were being abused or seeking assistance.
“The experiences of male survivors may remain hidden because of stigma, shame, fear of ridicule, harmful expectations around masculinity and limited access to appropriate support services,” he said.
“The Commission therefore calls for an inclusive and gender-sensitive response in which every survivor, regardless of gender, can access information, prevention and protection, support, justice and appropriate referral services.”
That inclusion, Ncube stressed, should not obscure the disproportionate burden of IPV carried by women and girls.
The Commission cited the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey 2023–2024, which found that 27 percent of women aged 15 to 49 had experienced physical violence and nine percent had experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.
It also cited Zimbabwe Republic Police figures showing at least 13 838 cases of sexual offences and aggravated domestic violence were recorded in 2024.
Behind those statistics, however, ZGC believes another story remains largely unseen.
Violence within intimate relationships can become trapped behind a wall of fear, economic dependence, threats, stigma, shame and concerns about breaking up families.
Some survivors may also lack information about where to seek help or have limited access to support services.
“Behind every reported case there may be many more incidents that remain hidden,” Ncube said.
His intervention comes amid Commission concern over reported domestic disputes escalating into grievous bodily harm, murder and suicide.
The campaign will consequently focus heavily on recognising danger before a disagreement develops into violence.
“A home should be a place of safety, dignity, love and respect, not a place of fear,” Ncube said.
“Preventing IPV is not only about protecting individuals. It is about protecting children, strengthening families and safeguarding the future of our communities.”
That approach places families and communities directly into the prevention equation.
Parents are being encouraged to teach children self-respect, communication and peaceful ways of resolving disagreements, while religious and traditional leaders have been challenged to confront harmful norms instead of allowing culture, religion or social pressure to become barriers to reporting abuse.
Employers are also being drawn into the response, with ZGC calling for safe support and referral systems in workplaces for employees affected by IPV.
Men and boys represent another major pillar of the campaign, with the Commission calling on them to become active champions of respectful relationships rather than being treated simply as an audience for anti-violence messages.
The media, too, has been challenged to examine how it covers domestic violence.
Ncube called for accurate and ethical reporting that avoids sensationalising tragedies or inflicting further harm on survivors while keeping attention on non-violent conflict resolution.
Communities have perhaps been handed one of the most direct responsibilities.
ZGC wants neighbours, relatives and other community members who become aware of violence to stop treating it as a matter in which outsiders should not interfere.
“We call upon communities not to ignore signs of violence but, in line with the Anti-Domestic Violence Act 2007, to report it,” Ncube said.
The Commission’s approach is rooted in the argument that intervention should begin long before police officers, hospitals and courts become necessary.
Its 90-day campaign will therefore seek to move Zimbabwe’s response “beyond responding to violence after it occurs” by promoting early identification of warning signs, mental health dialogue, healthy relationships, peaceful conflict resolution and easier access to survivor support.
The campaign forms part of efforts around the High-Level Political Compact to End Gender-Based Violence and Harmful Practices in Zimbabwe 2021–2030.
Under the wider national roadmap, Zimbabwe is targeting the eradication of intimate partner violence, sexual violence and child marriage by 2030, alongside an operational goal of reducing the prevalence of gender-based and intimate partner violence by at least 20 to 30 percent.
The framework also envisages greater Government responsibility for financing the fight against GBV, progressively moving away from a model heavily dependent on donor funding towards stronger domestic financing through gender-responsive budgeting.
But for the Commission, the battle will not be won by institutions and budgets alone.
It will also be determined in homes and communities, in how disagreements are handled, whether warning signs are taken seriously and whether survivors feel safe enough to speak.
“Violence is preventable and peaceful homes are possible,” Dr Ncube said.
“We must recognise the warning signs early. We must speak up when violence occurs. We must support survivors regardless of their gender. We must challenge harmful norms.”
It is a message that turns the old notion of domestic violence being “a private matter” on its head.
When violence enters the home, the Commission argues, preventing the next assault, or the next death, becomes everyone’s concern.
