The journey towards having gender based violence recognized as a significant threat to individuals ,families ,communities and our economy at large has been slow and arduous. While existing legislation such as the sexual offences Act and the Constitution expressly outlaw acts of sexual violence and prohibit cruel degrading treatment and discrimination on basis of gender, that is little consolation to the high number of women who continue to suffer physical ,psychological and economic abuse. To these women, the provisions of the law are abstract ideas which do not seem to be able to prevent and adequately respond to their plight.