Violence Against women in Africa

When I was young, living in the village with my grandmother, it was a normal practice for the men to beat up their wives on the slightest provocation. Provocations such as not getting the food ready on time, staying too long in the farm, not agreeing to have intercourse, salty food, undone food,

Then, it was regarded as something normal for a man to beat up one of his wives. The understanding of the women was that their husband is strong and is a 'real' man. Such a man is regarded as a no nonsense man by our small society.

When a woman wakes up around 5.00am in the morning, she prepares breakfast for her husband and children and leave for the farm around 6.30am. At times she leaves while it is raining. She toils in the farm - fishing, cutting firewood, looking for snail, etc until late in the evening with little to eat.

She start to prepare dinner immediately she arrives and the man (husband) may be playing game or charting with friends in the main building and waiting for his dinner.