BUSIA: Amid Mental Health Awareness Month, a resounding call echoes for men enduring physical abuse from their wives to seek counseling and support.

This appeal gains urgency as a recent study identifies Busia as one of the counties where men experience significant domestic violence, a distressing trend exacerbating rates of depression among male victims.

Patrick Mukolwe, Child Welfare Officer for Matayos Sub-county, highlighted a concerning shift: while instances of women facing physical abuse are on the decline, those involving men are steadily rising.

Mukolwe observed that many abused men hesitate to report their suffering, fearing stigma and retribution.

Acknowledging these challenges, Mukolwe assured that the government instituted measures to ensure justice for victims of such abuses.

“Just as men who abuse women face legal consequences, so too will women who abuse their husbands,” he asserted, emphasizing equal treatment under the law.

Supporting Mukolwe’s stance, Lavenda Otieno, a project coordinator with the ICS organization, urged men to seize the opportunity presented by the mental health awareness campaign to seek assistance.

Busia County’s County Executive Committee Member (CEC) for Sports, Gender, and Culture, Paul Ekwenye, voiced concerns over the growing incidence of women perpetrating violence against their spouses.

Ekwenye addressed this issue during the County Madaraka Day celebrations at Otimong Primary School in Teso South.

Busia Deputy Governor Arthur Odera also called for an end to such behavior among women, advocating for dialogue as a means to resolve marital conflicts.

In response to the alarming surge in abuse cases, the FPFK organization has established a presence in the Kocholia area of Teso North. Their objective is to mobilize local leaders, religious figures, civil society organizations, and journalists to collectively address this pressing issue and seek lasting solutions.