Dedza has been described as one of the districts with increased cases of gender based violence despite government and civil society organisation moving forward to address the malpractice.
The problem has affected women and girls who are mostly victimized by men, while men pushing the blame to alcohol and drug abuse.
A survey done years back showed that in Malawi, people in authority also propagate gender-based violence. For example, the Nation of 23 November, 2004 reported that a senior police officer in Dedza District had been arrested for allegedly raping the wife of an armed robbery suspect.
In a related incident, it was reported that Mzuzu senior magistrate had convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour a police detective Sub Inspector for raping a woman he had arrested, (The Nation, 6 May, 2004). In another story, the Nation of 17 October, 1995 reported that a 23-year-old Medical Assistant in Kasungu was charged with raping a pregnant patient in the course of examining her in one of the hospital rooms.
The findings further show that violence in Malawi is not limited to homes and streets. It enters one of the most respected and highly esteemed institutions, the parliament. The media carried details of how one Member of Parliament suffered physical assault by a cabinet Minister right inside the chamber, (Daily Times, 13 May, 2003).
