Fighting Domestic Violence Through Education and Awareness

GESSI Development and Humanitarian Initiative kicked off 2024 by gathering refugee breastfeeding mothers in Adagom 1 Refugee Settlement Ogoja LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria. To discuss a difficult topic - domestic violence. Violence in the home fueled by factors like poverty, poor communication, and disrespect impacts many families in our community.   GESSI believes that education and open conversations can shed light on this sensitive issue. By meeting with mothers, GESSI empowers women and provides them support and knowledge to protect themselves and their children.   The session focused on the factors that often lead to violence between partners, such as:   Poverty - Financial stress can heighten tensions and conflict within families. Understanding the role poverty plays can help mitigate negative situations.   Lack of Communication – Open, frequent and non-judgmental communication allows partners to express their feelings, needs and concerns rather than bottle them up.   Poor Manner of Approach – Discussing issues with respect, managing anger and frustration appropriately, and resisting hurtful words/actions prevents conflicts from escalating.   By recognizing these triggers, women gain awareness to avoid violence in their homes. GESSI also provided resources for those currently facing abuse and hardship.   Though an uncomfortable topic, domestic violence happens too often in silence. Through education and conversations like this meeting, GESSI empowers this community to support healthy, peaceful families.