Two separate video clips of women being abused and stripped naked in Blantyre and Mzuzu have sent social media abuzz and attracted public condemnation.
A video circulating on social media shows the woman, who wore a mini-skirt, being stripped naked by a group of men in Blantyre.
In another video clip, a wife and her husband harassed and beat up a woman they claimed was trying to mess up their marriage by trying to flirt with the man in Mzuzu.
Reacting to the incidents, Minister of Gender, Disability and Social Welfare, Mary Navicha, said it was sad that much as there is freedom of dressing, some women are not being responsible in the way they dress, which could induce violence.
“We have been preaching against gender-based violence. It is sad to see some women creating an environment which could induce violence. So, my advice to women wherever they are, is to respect themselves,” she said.
Navicha also commended the police for moving in quickly to arrest perpetrators of the Mzuzu incident.
“We have seen the videos and we touched base with colleagues from Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security. It is pleasing that some people have been arrested over the heinous act. So far, we have organised psychosocial support for the women because, as you can imagine, this has really been traumatic. My advice to Malawians is that people should refrain from taking the law into their own hands,” she said.
Mzuzu Police deputy spokesperson, Paul Tembo, said the suspects they have arrested are Mines Ng’oma, Lucky Gondwe, Taonga Nyangu, Martha Kawonga, Lucia Matupi, Eunice Chirwa, Chikondi Chirwa and Sabina Chirwa who are answering charges of insulting the modesty of a woman, cyber stocking and assault.
“We condemn in strongest terms the tendency of people taking the law in their hands. There are right options whenever there are differences to seek mediation and solution from various institutions available such as police VSU [victim support unit], churches, village heads and organisations,” he said.
Apparently, Blantyre Police spokesperson, Augustus Nkhwazi, has said they have arrested and charged two suspects with indecent assault in relation to Monday’s incident in Blantyre.
“The public should help us with information so that we arrest more people. There were several people that were involved and we know the public could help as our investigations are going on,” he said.
In 2017 the Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate Court slapped three women a six year jail term for causing grievous bodily harm and assaulting a fellow woman in Area 25 C, Lilongwe.
The three were arrested following a video clip that went viral on social media showing the women among others, assaulting their fellow woman Anne Gwaza.
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