Last week we, the community of Phiritona, were shocked to learn of the passing of a young, affable local correctional officer after committing suicide by drinking poison. It happened after a quarrel with his wife.

Men are the majority victims of violent crimes and on average they also serve longer prison terms than women. Men, on average, are more likely to be imprisoned than women even if they both committed the same crime.

Abusive relationships are characterised by control games, violence, jealousy, withholding sex and emotional contact by your partner. An emotionally abusive partner is harder to pinpoint.

It is just as difficult to recover from emotional abuse as it is from physical abuse. Violence needs to stop. All of us – men and women, need to speak up and teach our children that violence is never the solution. Together  we can all make a difference. And the best place to start is with yourself.

To those who abuse; the sin is yours, the crime is yours and the shame is yours. And to those who protect the perpetrators by blaming the victims only masks the evil within, and makes you as guilty as those who abuse. Stand up for the innocent or go down with the rest!

Samuel Radebe, Heilbron