A Safe Haven in Mozambique

By Shantha Bloemen

The girl was only 12 years old when her father raped her. She reached out to her mother for help, but her mother did not believe her. Unable to deal with the trauma, the girl traveled to the Alta Mae Support Centre in Maputo, Mozambique’s capital city.

Headed by Maria Supinho – a grandmother of eight and a policewoman for 33 years – the centre provides 24-hour assistance to victims of domestic violence, abuse and trafficking. A staff of 20 police officers (all but three of whom are women) provide counselling, legal advice and shelter to the victims. When needed, the staff also takes victims to a nearby hospital for medical care.

In the case cited above, the girl’s decision to go to the Alta Mae Support Centre saved her from further harm. Her father is now in jail, and she is no longer living in fear.

Breaking the silence

The Alto Mae Support Centre is one of 200 such centres located in hospitals and police stations across the country. Last year, they helped more than 3,500 children.

The need for this kind of support is clear, as domestic violence is one of the biggest issues faced by girls and women in Mozambique.

Earlier this year, Mozambique achieved an important milestone in the protection of women’s rights with a new law against domestic violence. Ms. Supinho notes that her support centre has seen an increase in the number of cases reported.

“This does not necessarily mean the cases of violence is increasing but that the victims are increasingly seeking help and coming to the centre,” she explains.

“Whatever we do at the level of policy and at the level of enforcement, it is only as strong as our ability to break the culture of silence around this issue and create a culture of zero tolerance in communities, in schools [and] peer to peer,” says UNICEF Mozambique’s Chief of Communication, Naysan Sahba.