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Zimbabwe's moral nakedness
Isheunesu Moyo - Child Protection Society (CPS)
April 07, 2004

Zimbabwe...57 Reported Cases of Child Sexual Abuse in March alone at only one of Harare's hospitals.

Nakedness is not only for a piece of clothing; nakedness is lack of human dignity…
Mother Theresa

Can social rot in Zimbabwe go beyond a 62-year-old Mabvuku man raping his six-year-old grandchild, a Chitungwiza man raping his two-year-old daughter?

In March alone, the Police Post at Harare Central Hospital handled 57 cases of child sexual abuse and 13 cases of other child abuse forms. If in only one month, a single police post in Harare handles 70 cases of child abuse, the number of children abused throughout the country in a year is surely a matter of concern.

Constable Pini of the Harare Central Hospital Police Post highlighted the need to sensitise communities on sexual abuse. She said this exercise would entail training children how to report abuse incidences.

Child Protection Society Advocacy Manager Sibusisiwe Bhebhe pointed out that society finds it difficult to acknowledge that the sexual abuse of children of all ages happens everyday. She highlighted the need not to pretend that child sexual abuse is not happening but rather find solutions to curb the problem. Bhebhe said a holistic awareness campaign targeting children, parents, teachers, law enforcement agents and legislators would go a long way in reducing crimes against children.

Heel on heel, cases of adult men engaging in sexual activities with children of school going age in exchange for food or money continue.

Mothers are encouraged to strengthen communication with their children and not depend on housemaids. If parents take responsibility on their children on bathing, assisting them with homework and seeing them to sleep, intimacy that promotes opening up by children on sensitive matters like experience of abuse develops.

Bhebhe said child sexual abuse seriously interferes with the child’s cognitive and affective development as it attacks the child’s psyche and self-concept. The child feels unworthy of love and affection. Trauma, self-blame, self-pity and loss of trust for other people become characteristic traits of sexually abused children.

Effects of rape are so grievous that the perpetrators deserve not any form of protection. If child sexual abuse is to be deterred, the mere contemplation of abusing someone should result in goose pimples, as one would know that perpetrating such an offence is a sure way to rotting in prison.

People from all sectors of society appreciate that rape is a cruel, emotionally destructive act of human rights abuse to the victims with long lasting effects hence the need for a concerted effort to develop stern ways of dealing with perpetrators of rape.

Harare Magistrate, Mrs. Virginia Sithole admitted that the effects of rape are heinous, horrible and outrageous when sentencing Darlington Gumbodete who was convicted of raping his former girl friend.

‘These strong sentiments clearly spell out the gravity and seriousness of the crime. Rape traumatizes the victim. It diminishes the victim’s self esteem and sense of dignity’ she added.

According to police spokesperson Inspector Andrew Phiri, 80% of rape survivors are raped by people who are known to them. Most of the people that are sexually abused are minors. The granting of bail to suspects is therefore usually a retrogressive option as it makes the children vulnerable to further abuse. Continued interaction of the minor and assailant perpetuates intimidation and trauma.

CHILDLINE Zimbabwe recently wrote a protest letter to a Chitungwiza magistrate who had granted bail to a man suspected of raping his 13-year-old sister as a punishment for buying vegetables without his authority. Childline cited compromise of minor’s safety in disapproving granting of bail.

Despite the calls to have these cases treated with the gravity they deserve, people are admitting that the law itself has failed to totally and adequately protect the children from sexual abuse. A public prosecutor in Chinhoyi acknowledged the failure of the justice system in the country to deal with rape cases effectively.

The increase in sexual abuse of minors reflects on the failure of the law to deter potential rapists. Reform in not only the law but also our social values is therefore, needed in order to deal effectively with sexual abuse.

The Director of the Girl Child Network, Betty Makoni is calling for the government to declare a state of emergency on the matter and put in place an appropriate legal instrument in order to deal once and for all with this social rot.

She says, if a clean up could be carried out in the financial sector, why not in the justice delivery system?

Makoni urged the police to put in place a special unit that will be meant for rape specifically like what they have done with other serious crimes such as vehicle theft, fraud, homicide and drug trafficking.

The director of the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association, Ms Emilia Muchawa believes the law itself cannot be enough to put these rape cases to an end as the issue calls for a more holistic approach that encompasses the entire society.

"We condemn these acts of rape but we feel that the law alone can only serve as a deterrent system, we need some other support services such as proper education of the society on the effects of rape and parental advice as well," she said She does not even believe that the laxity of the law is the only contributing factor to the rampant increase of rape cases. The increase is just a matter of wrong orientation and values ‘I believe that there is something wrong with our values; rape can only come to an end if the society learns to respect other people and redefine our values’, she added.

It however remains the challenge to the society to make sure we put this social rot to an end before it puts the society to an end. Every person must work for its survival; otherwise, our future remains bleak as it is invested in the children who are being harassed on a daily basis.

Nolens volens, putting out the bizarre lust fuelling flames of child sexual abuse is the way to go or else we will soon acclimatize to the gruesome nightmare.

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