This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
July 10, 2020, marked a day when Ugandan socialite Zari Hassan shared a personal and painful experience with her fans on social media. She revealed that she was once a victim of domestic violence, a reality that many women face silently.
According to Zari, she was in a relationship where she suffered physical abuse, but it took her tremendous effort to make the decision to leave. She noted that societal expectations and her status made it difficult for her to walk away, but she was lucky to have made the decision to leave.
“I am a survivor of physical abuse, and it took a lot of courage for me to acknowledge and speak out about it,” Zari said. “I was afraid of what people would say, but I knew I had to speak out for myself and for others who may be going through the same thing.”
She added, “I was afraid of being judged, of being labeled as a bad person, or of being seen as a woman who couldn't take care of herself. But I knew that I had to speak out, no matter how difficult it would be.”
Despite receiving a lot of condemnation and insults, Zari advises women in abusive relationships to leave, saying that there is no perfect timing. “There is no perfect time to leave an abusive relationship, but I want to tell you that it's never too late to speak out and seek help,” she said.
“No one deserves to be beaten, regardless of whether the person is bad or not. Beating someone is like beating a child,” Zari emphasized.
Although Zari did not mention the person who used to beat her, she has been in two public relationships in the past. She has been open about her experiences and has used her platform to raise awareness about domestic violence.
