Kungani Abaningi Kangaka Bephila Ngokwesaba?

ISINTU sigubuzelwe ukwesaba. Lesi simo asibonakali kodwa siyaqapheleka, ngoba sithinta cishe wonke umuntu, ngisho noma ngokuvamile singanakwa. Yini eye yabangela lesi simo? Yini eyenza abanye abantu besabe lapho bephuma emizini yabo? Kungani abaningi bezizwa bengaphephile lapho besemsebenzini? Kungani abaningi bekhathazekile ngokuphepha kwezingane zabo? Yiziphi izingozi ezenza abantu besabe kuyilapho besemizini yabo?

Kuyiqiniso ukuthi kunezimbangela eziningi zokwesaba, kodwa sizocabangela izingozi ezine ezingaphazamisa abantu njalo—ubudlova basemadolobheni, ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili, ukudlwengulwa nobudlova basekhaya. Okokuqala, ake sihlole ubudlova basemadolobheni. Kuyafaneleka ukuxoxa ngale ndaba ngoba cishe ingxenye yesintu ihlala emadolobheni.

Izingozi Emadolobheni

Cishe amadolobha okuqala akhelwa ukuba abe isivikelo, kodwa abantu abaningi manje babheka amadolobha njengezindawo ezinezingozi. Izindawo ezazibhekwa njengeziphephelo ngaphambili manje seziyesabeka. Amadolobha aminyene ayizindawo ezikahle zezigebengu, kanti kwamanye amadolobha, kuyingozi ukungena ezindaweni  zabampofu ezingenazibani namaphoyisa anele.

Ukwesaba okunjalo ngokuvamile akukhona ukweqisa; abantu abaningi ngokushaqisayo bafa ngobudlova. Ngokombiko we-World Health Organization, abantu abayizigidi ezingu-1,6 babulawa ubudlova unyaka ngamunye emhlabeni wonke. E-Afrika, kulabo nalabo bantu abangu-100 000, cishe abangu-60,9 bafa ngobudlova unyaka ngamunye.

Abantu abaningi, izindawo nezinhlangano ezazibhekwa njengeziphephile manje sezibhekwa njengosongo lokuphepha. Ngokwesibonelo, izindawo eziningi zokudlala, izikole nezitolo manje sezibhekwa njengezindawo zobugebengu ezisabisayo. Kwezinye izimo abaholi benkolo, izisebenzi zezenhlalakahle nothisha—abantu obekufanele babe isivikelo—abasathembekile. Imibiko yokuthi abanye banukubeza izingane yenza abazali bangabaze ukushiya izingane zabo ezandleni zabanye abantu. Amaphoyisa kufanele avikele abantu, kodwa emadolobheni athile ukonakala kwamaphoyisa nokusetshenziswa kabi kwegunya kuyinsakavukela. Kanti uma kuziwa emabuthweni “okuvikela,” kwamanye amazwe abantu bahlale bekhumbula izimpi zombango lapho abathandekayo babo banyamalala khona ngemva kokuthathwa amabutho empi. Ngakho-ke, ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zomhlaba, esikhundleni sokudambisa ukwesaba, amaphoyisa namasosha aye anezela kukho.

Incwadi ethi Citizens of Fear—Urban Violence in Latin America ithi: “Abantu abahlala ezinhloko-dolobha zaseLatin America bahlala ngokwesaba njalo, ngoba baphila phakathi kwezimo eziyingozi kakhulu emhlabeni. Kulelo zwekazi elikhulu, abantu abangaba yizinkulungwane ezingu-140 babulawa ngesihluku unyaka ngamunye, kanti isakhamuzi esisodwa kwezintathu siye sahlukunyezwa ubudlova ngandlela-thile.” Nakwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba, imibhikisho yezombangazwe yenzeka njalo ezinhloko-dolobha. Uma imibhikisho enjalo iba nobudlova, abantu abaningi basizakala ngaleso siyaluyalu baphange izitolo, bese kusuka isidumo. Abantu abanamabhizinisi edolobheni bangazithola kalula behaqwe yizixuku ezithukuthele.

Emazweni amaningi kuye kwavuleka igebe elikhulu phakathi kwezinga lokuphila labacebile nabampofu, okuye kwabangela inzondo enkulu. Abantu abaningi abanomuzwa wokuthi bancishwa izidingo eziyisisekelo baye bagqekeza ezindaweni okuhlala kuzo abacebile kuphela. Lokho akukenzeki kwamanye amadolobha, kodwa isimo sishubile—kungonakala noma nini.

Usongo lwezigebengu namavukela-mbuso lubonakala lulukhulu, kodwa kunezinye izimbangela zokukhathazeka ezinezela kulesi simo sokwesaba.

Isihluku Sokuhlukunyezwa Ngokobulili

Izigidi zabesifazane zibhekana nobunzima bansuku zonke bokushayelwa amakhwelo, ukukhonjiswa izimpawu eziyinhlamba nokugqolozelwa ngamehlo anenkanuko. I-Asia Week ithi: “Izinhlolo-vo zembula ukuthi owesifazane oyedwa kwabane eJapane uye wahlukunyezwa ngokobulili obala, kanti amaphesenti angu-90 alezi zenzakalo enzeka ezitimeleni. . . . Amaphesenti amabili kuphela ezisulu athatha isinyathelo lapho ehlushwa. Abaningi bathi besaba indlela abahlukumezi abangase basabele ngayo, okuyikona okubenza bathule.”

Ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili kuye kwanda kakhulu eNdiya. Intatheli ethile kulelo zwe iyachaza: “Noma nini lapho owesifazane ephuma  ekhaya, ufikelwa ukwesaba. Kuyo yonke indawo, usengozini yokugconwa ngendlela elulazayo nokutshelwa amagama angenanhlonipho.” Umbiko ovela edolobheni elithile laseNdiya lapho abantu besaziqhenya khona ngemigwaqo ephephile uthi: “Inkinga [yaleli dolobha] ayikho emgwaqweni kodwa isemahhovisi. . . . Amaphesenti angu-35 abesifazane okwaxoxwa nabo athi aye ahlukunyezwa ngokobulili emsebenzini. . . . Amaphesenti angu-52 abesifazane athi ngenxa yokwesaba ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili emsebenzini ancamela ukuthatha imisebenzi enomholo ophansi . . . lapho esebenzelana khona nabesifazane [kuphela].”

Ukwesaba Ukudlwengulwa

Abesifazane abesabi nje ukulahlekelwa isithunzi kuphela. Ngezinye izikhathi ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili kwembula ukuthi kunosongo lokudlwengulwa. Kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani abesifazane abaningi besaba ukudlwengulwa ngaphezu kokubulawa. Owesifazane angase azithole eyedwa kungazelelwe endaweni anovalo lokuthi uzodlwengulwa kuyo. Angase abone owesilisa angamazi noma angamethembi. Ufikelwa ukwesaba njengoba ezama ukuhlaziya isimo ngokubhuduzela. Angase azibuze, ‘Uzongenzani? Ngingabalekelaphi? Ngimemeze?’ Ukubhekana njalo nezimo ezinjalo kulimaza impilo yabesifazane kancane kancane. Abantu abaningi bakhetha ukungahlali edolobheni noma bakhetha ukuba bangavakasheli emadolobheni ngoba besaba izimo ezinjalo.

Incwadi ethi The Female Fear ithi: “Ukwesaba, ukukhathazeka nokucindezeleka kuyingxenye yokuphila kwansuku zonke kwabesifazane abaningi emadolobheni. Ngenxa yokuthi abesifazane besaba ukudlwengulwa, bahlala beqaphile futhi bephapheme, okwenza owesifazane angakhululeki uma othile emlandela eduze, ikakhulukazi ebusuku. Lo muzwa . . . uwumuzwa abesifazane abangasoze bakhululeke kuwo ngokuphelele.”

Baningi abesifazane ababhekana nobugebengu obunobudlova. Kodwa, cishe bonke abesifazane bayabesaba ubudlova. Incwadi yeZizwe Ezihlangene i-State of World Population 2000, ithi: “Emhlabeni kabanzi, okungenani owesifazane oyedwa kwabathathu uye washaywa, waphoqwa othile ukuba alale naye, noma wahlukunyezwa ngandlela-thile—ngokuvamile umuntu othile amaziyo.” Ingabe lesi simo sokwesaba siye sadlulela ngalé kwalokho? Abantu bavame kangakanani ukuhlala ngokwesaba ekhaya?

Ukwesaba Ubudlova Ekhaya

Umkhuba wamadoda ofihlekile wokushaya amakhosikazi awo ukuze awathobele uyisenzo esikhulu sokungabi nabulungisa esenzeka emhlabeni wonke—futhi usanda kuqashelwa njengesenzo sobugebengu ezindaweni eziningi. Umbiko othile eNdiya ubonisa ukuthi “okungenani abesifazane baseNdiya abangamaphesenti angu-45 bamukulwa ngempama, bakhahlelwe noma bashaywe abayeni babo.” Ukuxhashazwa umngane womshado kuyingozi enkulu empilweni yabantu emhlabeni wonke. Lapho ikhuluma ngabesifazane abaneminyaka engu-15 kuya kwengu-44 e-United States, i-Federal Bureau of Investigation ibika ukuthi baningi abalinyazwa ubudlova basekhaya kunabalinyazwa yizingozi zezimoto, ukukhuthuzwa nokudlwengulwa kuhlangene. Ngakho-ke, ubudlova basekhaya buyingozi kakhulu kunokuphikisana ngezikhathi ezithile okuphenduka kube nobudlova. Abesifazane abaningi bahlala benovalo besaba ukulimala nokufa ekhaya. Inhlolo-vo kazwelonke eCanada yabonisa ukuthi ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu yabesifazane abaye baphathwa ngobudlova ekhaya ngezinye izikhathi yayinovalo lokuthi izobulawa. E-United States, abacwaningi ababili baphetha ngokuthi: “Ikhaya liyindawo eyingozi kakhulu kwabesifazane futhi ngokuvamile liyindawo abaphathwa ngonya nabahlukunyezwayo kuyo.”

Kungani abesifazane abaningi kangaka bevaleleke ebuhlotsheni obuyingozi kangaka? Abantu abaningi bayazibuza: ‘Kungani bengafuni usizo? Bahlaleleni bengahambi?’ Ezimweni eziningi, impendulo iwukuthi bayesaba. Kuthiwa ukwesaba kuyisici esivame kakhulu ebudloveni basekhaya. Amadoda axhaphazayo ngokuvamile alawula omkawo ngobudlova abese ebasongela ngokubabulala uma beke bakhuluma. Ngisho noma umfazi oshaywayo enesibindi sokufuna usizo, angase angalutholi ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ngisho nabantu abathile abazenyanyayo ezinye izinhlobo zobudlova bavame ukululaza, ukuziba, noma ukuvuna ubudlova bamadoda. Kubantu abangahlali ekhaya, umyeni oxhaphazayo angase abonakale ewumuntu omuhle. Ngokuvamile abangane  abakholwa ukuthi ushaya umkakhe. Njengoba kungekho muntu obakholelwayo, futhi kungenandlela yokubaleka, abafazi abaningi abaxhashazwayo baba nomuzwa wokuthi akukho abangakwenza ngaphandle kokuphila ngokwesaba njalo.

Abesifazane abagcina behambile ngezinye izikhathi baba yizisulu zokulandelelwa. Ucwaningo lwamuva nje eNyakatho Melika olwahlola abesifazane abangaphezu kwenkulungwane esifundazweni saseLouisiana lwabonisa ukuthi amaphesenti angu-15 kubo abika ukuthi ayelandelelwa. Cabanga nje indlela abesaba ngayo. Umuntu oye wakusongela ulokhu ekulandelela nomaphi lapho uya khona. Ukushayela ucingo, akulandele, akugade aze akulinde nasezindaweni ezithile. Angase abulale ngisho nesilwane osifuyile. Lesi isimo esibhebhethekisa ukwesaba!

Kungenzeka awunakho ukwesaba okunjalo. Kodwa ukwesaba kukuthinta ngezinga elingakanani lokho okwenza usuku ngalunye?

Ingabe Ukwesaba Kuthinta Indlela Oziphatha Ngayo?

Njengoba siphila ngokwesaba njalo, singase singaqapheli ukuthi ziningi kangakanani izinqumo zethu zansuku zonke ezibuswa ukwesaba. Ukwesaba kuyithinta kangakanani indlela oziphatha ngayo?

Ingabe ukwesaba ubudlova kuye kwenza ukuba wena noma amalungu omkhaya wakho nesabe ukungena ekhaya ebusuku nihamba nodwa? Ingabe ukwesaba kuphazamisa ukusebenzisa kwakho izinto zokuhamba zomphakathi? Ingabe ukwesaba ukuhamba kuye kwathonya umsebenzi owukhethayo? Noma ingabe ukwesaba abantu osebenza nabo noma abantu okudingeka usebenzelane nabo kuye kwathonya umsebenzi owukhethayo? Ingabe ukwesaba kuye kwaphazamisa ubudlelwane bakho nabanye abantu noma ukuzijabulisa okukhethayo? Kungenzeka yini ukuthi ukwesaba ukunqwamana nezigilamkhuba ezidakiwe nezixuku kuye kwakuthiya ekuyeni emidlalweni nasemakhonsathini athile? Ingabe ukwesaba kuye kwathinta lokho okwenzayo esikoleni? Kubazali abaningi, ukwesaba ukuthi izingane zabo zizoba amahlongandlebe kuthonya izikole abazikhethayo, futhi kuyisizathu esenza ukuthi iningi labo likhethe ukulanda izingane zabo esikoleni kunokuba zizihambele lapho ziya ekhaya noma zisebenzise izinto zokuhamba zomphakathi.

Yebo, abantu baphila ngokwesaba. Kodwa selokhu kwathi nhlo, abantu bebelokhu bebesaba ubudlova. Ingabe sikhona-ke ngempela isizathu sokulindela okuhlukile? Ingabe ukukhululeka ekwesabeni kuyiphupho nje? Noma ingabe kunesizathu esizwakalayo sokulindela ikusasa lapho kungekho muntu oyokwesaba okubi?