Mrs. Nene Dung, the Director, Media and Investigation of Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunity Commission has said majority of domestic Violence happens as a result of partners neglecting their responsibilities.
The Director was speaking during a Sunday service to climax a 3 day Family Forum program of the Church of Christ in Nations, COCIN, Local Church Council, LCC, Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada, Jos North local government area of Plateau State.
Mrs. Nene Dung read 1 Timothy 5:8 and quoted further scriptural references that provided the responsibilities of a husband and that of a wife as well the children to their parents.
She said most of the cases they have received on gender based violence shows that most of the husbands are neglecting their responsibilities, leaving women to fend for the family.
Mrs. Dung said the alarming increase in child trafficking, sales of babies are also as a result of parents neglecting their roles as some of them send their children into child labour to fend for themselves and the family at a tender age.
According to her, 75% of women are now responsible for the upkeep of their families as most of the men have abandoned their duties in the family. She also spoke against what she described as a culture of silence among victims and their relations for fear of stigma or victimization among others and encouraged the congregation to always speak out and report such incidents to appropriate authority for help.
Leading pastor of the Church, Rev. Reuben Hassan who took the teachings within the week spoke on Biblical principles for solving marital challenges where he said some of the challenges could be un-forgiveness, blame-shifting, poor communication, keeping grudges, lack of love and submission or childlessness.
He spoke on the theme of the program which is “Finding Solutions out of Marital Challenges” with Ephesians 4:31-32 as the main text of the family forum.
The leading pastor advised couples that cleaving to God and each other is the best and sure way of keeping the marriage relationship fresh and renewed each day.