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Using Mediation to Resolve Domestic Violence

On 12th May a 27-year-old-woman came to the advice office to report domestic violence from her boyfriend. They have been in a relationship for 14 months and he had paid lobola for her. Recently they had been fighting and he had beaten her with a wooden stick and with his fists.

For six months he had been in a relationship with another woman and when the client questioned him about this he became aggressive and hit her.  She had tried to talk to him and had discussed the problem with his family, but this had not made any difference.

Paralegal Bazamile Magubane (right) explained that she could have a mediation or a protection order and she chose mediation. The office called the respondent and both parties came for mediation on 17th May.

They started by giving the client a chance to tell her story first. The respondent admitted that the client told the truth, and he also mentioned that the client’s family has a bad influence on her in such a way that they stop him from seeing her as his fiancée. He said this was the main reason why the respondent got another woman.

Mrs Magubane tried to talk to both parties and explained to them the harmful effect that being unfaithful has on a relationship. She also reminded the man that the Domestic Violence Act prohibits the behaviour he has shown to his girlfriend. They talked about many things and later both parties realised that they have wronged each other in different ways. They apologised to eachother and said that they are in love with oneother. 

A month later the office contacted the client and she said that she and her boyfriend were living together peacefully.