Fear, institutional bias, and lack of support keep domestic abuse victims from reporting – Lawyer

Executive Secretary of the African Women Lawyers Association, Marian Darlington, has said that the fear of retaliation, doubts about whether perpetrators will be prosecuted, and a lack of support are among the reasons victims of domestic abuse struggle to report their experiences to the police.

Ms Darlington explained that victims may also fear that an abuser’s connections or influence could prevent the police from taking effective action, leaving them exposed to further violence.” Beyond fear of retaliation, Ms Darlington said victims may be discouraged from reporting abuse because they have little confidence that their cases will lead to successful prosecutions.