Minister of Gender Elizabeth Phiri has condemned a man harassing his wife for allegedly committing adultery in a video that went viral on social media saying Gender-Based Violence (GBV) should not be condoned irrespective of the offence committed.

On Wednesday, a video went viral on social media in which a middle-aged man was urging onlookers to film his wife, whom he identified as Princes Chanda, after he allegedly caught her with another man.

Whilst the woman was defenseless and trying to hide her face, her husband held her head up for the cameras a couple of times, calling her a prostitute whom he had caught red handed.

But in a statement issued by Ministry of Gender Media Liaison Officer Mwape Mwenya, Thursday, Phiri condemned people who were in the habit of taking pictures and videos instead of helping vulnerable victims who were unable to defend themselves.

Phiri said GBV was a violation of human rights, which should not be condoned irrespective of the offence committed.

She urged victims of GBV not to suffer in silence, but report all forms of violence to relevant institutions to allow the law take its course.

Phiri warned that anyone found conniving with perpetrators of violence risked facing the law as well.

She asked the woman in the video to take necessary steps and ensure that her husband was answerable to the law for his unruly behaviour.

Phiri said there were better channels to air grievances than resorting to violence and breaking the law with impunity.

“No one is above the law despite the relationship the perpetrator and the victim shares. Violence is wrong in all its forms. The police should take necessary action against the perpetrator,” Phiri said.

And Phiri said beginning November 25 to December 10, the country would join the rest of the World in commemorating 16 days of activism against GBV, adding that it’s during this period that sensitisation programmes would be rolled out in communities on the dangers and repercussions of GBV.

She said Zambia had been recognized globally as a champion for the elimination of all forms of sexual and GBV.

“The citizens, therefore, need to work with government on eliminating this vice,” Phiri said.

She further said government, with support from the UN agencies, had set up four fast track courts aimed at hastening the judicial process in GBV matters.

Phiri cited Lusaka, Kabwe, Choma, and Mongu as some of the districts where the fast track courts were operational.

She said since the inception of the courts, more than 700 cases had successfully been disposed of.

Zambia has this year continued to grapple with escalating cases of GBV-related crimes, with the country having recorded 6,114 cases countrywide during the third quarter of 2018, indicating an increase of 1,018 cases from last year.