Malawi Police trains faith leaders in fight against domestic violence

Malawi Police in Blantyre has  drilled faith leaders around Soche and Chilobwe policing areas on how to deal with issues of domestic and gender based violence.

The training which was held at St. Pius Catholic Church Hall at Kudya in Blantyre drew faith leaders from Christian and Muslim communities including victim support unit officers in these two police facilities.

In her speech, Senior Superintendent Caroline Jere, Station Officer for Soche Police Sub – Station said her office appreciates the contributions made by the faith community and other stakeholders in reducing crime and Gender Based Violence in the Policing area through community policing.

She said it is because of this that her office thought of training these leaders to equip them with crime prevention skills and ways of handling Domestic and Gender Based Violence cases to improve and address security concerns of people around Soche and Malawi as a whole.

The Station Officer (S.O) said her office understands that Police alone can not manage to satisfy the security needs of everyone. She added that when communities take part in security issues, there is a likelihood that security in such areas will be enhanced.

Madam Jere then wished all participants and facilitators all the best during the training.

Speaking on behalf of the faith leaders,  Father George Kaliati who is the Parish Priest and Dean for Blantyre Deanery in the Catholic Church who also hosted the training, thanked the Police for considering the Faith Community leaders to take part in security issues.

“As faith leaders, for a long time we have been looking at Police from outside and could not know what goes on when they talk about policing issues,” said Kaliati.

He noted that through the ‘Evangelise and Secure Others Initiative’ which has brought in the Faith Community Integrated Approach, they can now appreciate what the Police are continously experiencing when it comes to issues of safety and security.

He added that as faith leaders they will continue to work hand in hand with the Police.

Kaliati said he understands that faith communities assist people on spiritual aspects but if the body is left out, it means one part of the Human being is not saved. “It is therefore very important that faith leaders get equipped with skills that will assist them to save the whole human being”, He said.

He therefore asked the police to arrange as many trainings as possible for the faith leaders because all people belong to a particular denomination and such trainings will ease the police workload in addressing issues of domestic and gender based violence.

Taking his turn, Chairperson for Soche Victim support Sub- Committee, Mr. Charles Gobola thanked the Police for the initiative and said the faith community will take a leading role in solving family issues and assist their communities to have peaceful families free from domestic violence.

He said many families have been divorced because people who were handling their issues did not have the required skills on how to handle such cases.

Equipping such communities with required skills would really assist in helping those family members who get some challenges and seek assistance from the faith leaders.

Participants were drilled in; Domestic and Gender Based Violence, Case Handling, Conselling Skills, elements of crime and principles of crime reduction.

Facilitators were Superintendent Horace Chabuka (Blantyre Police Community Policing Coordinator) and Sub – Inspector Zione Lapani (Blantyre Police Crime Prevention Officer

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