COVID-19 induced DV in Zimbabwe’s Southlea Park residential area in Harare

Oshneck Mupepi; Mark  Matsa

doi:10.59400/jps.v1i1.290

COVID-19 induced DV in Zimbabwe’s Southlea Park residential area in Harare

Oshneck Mupepi Department of Geography, Environmental Sustainability and Resilience building, Midlands State University, Gweru 9055, Zimbabwe
Mark Matsa Department of Geography, Environmental Sustainability and Resilience building, Midlands State University, Gweru 9055, Zimbabwe

Article ID: 290

143 Views, 65 PDF Downloads

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/jps.v1i1.290

Keywords: domestic-violence; COVID-19; lockdown; vulnerable; victim

Abstract

COVID-19 affected various communities across the globe in different ways. The study assessed the impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on domestic violence in the Southlea-Park residential area in Harare. A mixed-methods research design was adopted as it allowed use of both qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches. Questionnaires, interviews, and observations were employed for data collection. The research showed that DV in the Southlea Park residential area emanated from drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, conflicts over decision-making between parents, prostitution, and food insufficiency, among others. The study indicated that most dominant forms of DV in Southlea Park during the COVID-19 lockdown period included physical, emotional, and verbal violence. The findings from this study indicated that males suffered more from verbal and psychological violence, while females suffered more from physical, economic, sexual, and emotional violence. The research concludes that COVID-19 had massive influence on domestic violence; however, the Zimbabwe Republic Police should ensure deployment of police officers in temporary camps within or close to residential areas that are far from police stations to ensure public safety during situations that trigger domestic and other forms of violence in residential areas, and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in Zimbabwe should ensure availability of agents responsible for ensuring against vulnerability of people to gender, domestic, and other forms of violence in all communities of the country, especially during situations that trigger violence.

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Published

2023-12-12

How to Cite

Mupepi, O., & Matsa, M. (2023). COVID-19 induced DV in Zimbabwe’s Southlea Park residential area in Harare. Journal of Policy and Society, 1(1), 290. https://doi.org/10.59400/jps.v1i1.290

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Vol. 1 No. 1 (2023)

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Article

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The rapid increase in the use of disposable baby diapers in urban areas is associated with a number of environmental challenges. This study assesses the environmental challenges of disposable baby diapers in Hwange, Zimbabwe. Questionnaires, interviews, and field observations were used for data collection in this study. Data collected from the field was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 and Microsoft Excel. The study findings show that pollution, diseases, and odours are the major challenges of poor waste management associated with disposable baby diapers in Hwange ZPC residential areas. The study recommends the involvement of responsible authorities in conscientious recycling and education on waste management. The research also recommends the need to conduct longitudinal research to establish the position of local and central government in the bid to promote a safe and healthy environment in mining towns such as Hwange, as they are overlooked.

COVID-19 affected various communities across the globe in different ways. The study assessed the impacts of COVID-19 lockdown on domestic violence in Southlea-Park residential area in Harare. A mixed methods research design was adopted as it allowed use of both qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches. Questionnaires, interviews and observations were employed for data collection. The research showed that DV in Southlea Park residential area emanated from drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, and conflicts over decision- making between parents, prostitution and food insufficiency among others. The study indicated that most dominant forms of DV in Southlea Park during the COVID-19 lockdown period included physical, emotional and verbal violence. The findings from this study indicated that males suffered more from verbal and psychological violence whilst females suffered more from physical, economic, sexual and emotional violence. The research concludes that COVID-19 had massive influence on domestic violence, however, the Zimbabwe Republic Police should ensure deployment of police officers in temporally camps within or close to residential areas that are far from police stations to ensure public safety during situations that trigger domestic and other forms of violence in residential areas and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in Zimbabwe should ensure availability of agents responsible for ensuring against vulnerability of people to gender, domestic and other forms of violence in all communities of the country especially during situations that trigger violence.

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