Men encouraged to seek help when going through depression

Two men, who say they have been victims of a traumatic experience, have urged other men to seek help when going through mental distress and depression.

The men have been running coaching sessions in the Vhembe Distsrict in Limpopo to encourage men to choose peaceful ways over violence.

The Vhembe District has consistently recorded some of the highest rates of gender-based violence, sexual offences and femicide in the country since 2019.

One of the two men, Nakisani Silimela says he could have chosen violence when he caught his partner with another man.

“Before any action you ought to know that in life there are disappointments but there’s life after disappointment. There are good things that you can archive after that disappointment, why do you want to end your life or someone else’s life because you will end up having a court in your heart, you’ll be asking yourself ‘why I did it’ so the best thing is to do is not to do it.”

Director of Munna ndi nnyi, a non-profit victim empowerment organization, Dr Bardwell Mufunwaini says they have been inundated with calls from men seeking counseling.

“Nowadays men are coming to our offices, reporting that they are being abused and from there we refer them to the police if there’s a need, others we do counseling and they end up going back home being happy.”