A new report has revealed that in some rural communities, especially in
the Buikwe district in Uganda, certain men coerce their wives to
breastfeed them.
The practice is said to have been fueled by the belief of the men that
suckling their wive’s breastmilk has both medicinal and healing values.
It is understood from the study carried out by Kyambogo University in
Kampala and the Britain’s University of Kent, supported by the Global
Challenges Research Fund that the men believe breastmilk can even cure
HIV/AIDS, cancer, as well as male dysfunction.
Calls have however gone out to the government on the need to stop the
act by these Ugandan men who coerce their wives to breastfeed them.
The country’s minister of state for health, Sarah Opendi is quoted by
New Vision to have told the Ugandan parliament while addressing the
issue that “Men are part of the problem during breastfeeding. A mother
is breastfeeding, you also want something on the other side, saying that
it can cure HIV/AIDS, cancer, male dysfunction. It is a myth.”
She had warned that “a growing culture of men demanding to suckle, which
was becoming a problem for some breastfeeding mothers and their
babies”.
According to The Guardian UK, findings from the study conducted in the
rural Buikwe district — where it is believed to be rampant — showed the
practice is now linked to gender violence and coercive behaviour, The
Cable reports.
Rowena Merritt, a British behavioural scientist who specialises in
public health and a lead researcher on the project, added that the fact
many people still remain silent about the practice shows its not
socially accepted.
“It was very much an exploratory mission. We didn’t know if we would
find anybody willing to talk to us who admitted to doing it. We didn’t
even really know if it was real or not,” he said.
“One said: ‘I know other men do it, but we’ve never talked about it.’ So
that to me would suggest that it is a common behaviour, but it isn’t
socially accepted.”
Preliminary findings from the study as explained by Merritt revealed
that most of the women are being coerced by their husbands to breastfeed
them.
“It appears to be a hugely coerced behaviour from the people we spoke to,” he said.
powers, even curing diseases such as HIV and Aids and cancer,” he said.
“There is a gap in public awareness of the risks in such practices. But
the challenge is we don’t have the evidence of the magnitude of this
behaviour. We need a survey on prevalence.”
Thomas, one of such men, is reported to have told the researchers that
he feels energised after sucking his wife’s breast, adding he could beat
his wife should she refuse him.
become obsessed, it’s hard to stop. If women say no it can cause violence, it’s a big issue.”
Some women are also scared of losing their husbands to other women,
hence are forced to comply with the practice, the study also revealed.
“I fear that my husband might go elsewhere if I wouldn’t let it happen,” one of the women was quoted as saying.
It is believed that the development has been linked to gender-based violence in the Karamoja region in north-east Uganda.
However, health professionals, including midwives and nutritionists, who
interacted with the researchers, have called for the ban on the
practice, as according to them, it exposes newly born babies to risk of
infections from breasts from the men’s saliva.
“The fear for me, is the longer that this continues it will become part
of the culture and tradition for the next generation. I see parallels
with FGM,” Merritt said.