For the past six months Chenjerai Ngirazi has known no peace as his wife, Lucia Ngirazi, verbally, physically and psychologically abuses him in front of their children.
She also insults his parents whenever they reprimand her. Usually, women are the ones who are known for sprinting to either a police station or Civil Court to seek the law’s intervention when they are abused, but things are now changing as physically abused men who used to suffer in silence have mustered courage and are seeking the court’s intervention.
And prison officer Chenjerai has taken a cue from that as he dashed to Western Commonage Court and applied for a protection order against his abusive wife.
Chenjerai said he had been subjected to humiliation and torment by his wife who usually kicks and slaps him whenever they have a misunderstanding.
“Since December last year until now my wife has been assaulting me with fists and she would kick all over my body whenever we are involved in an argument,” he said.
He said his wife also hurls insults at his parents when they try to reprimand her. Chenjerai said Lucia shouts at him thereby attracting the attention of neighbours.
“No one can control her when she starts to hurl insults at me or at my parents. And that has impaired my reputation,” he said.
Chenjerai is also denied access to his bank card.
“I haven’t seen my bank card for a good six months. I don’t know how she squanders my salary. She even fails to pay school fees of our children. Our children are starving,” he said. Lucia did not deny that she assaulted her husband.
“He squanders all the money and gives me a card with no money. That angers me and that’s why I bash him,” she said.
The presiding magistrate Shepherd Mnjanja granted Chenjerai a protection order against his wife. Lucia was ordered not to verbally, physically abuse her husband.
— BMetro
