via Cross border traders expose kids to rape 22 June 2014
WHILE some of Zimbabwe’s enterprising mothers traverse borders trying to fend for their children, it has emerged they could in fact be exposing their girl offspring to male sex predators back home.
This was revealed by an inter-ministerial cabinet team mandated by government to look into the reasons behind the high incidence of rape in the country.
Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development Minister, Oppah Muchingura made these remarks during last Thursday’s launch of the National Action Plan on Rape themed , “War Against Rape; Stop Rape Now”.
“Women cross border traders, leaving their children in the hands of relatives expose the children to rape. Such ventures have caused a lot of havoc in families,” said Muchinguri.
Cross-border trading is common among jobless Zimbabweans with Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania among the most common destinations.
The inter-ministerial committee on rape was set up by government to probe the causes of rape and to propose measures on how control the vice.
It drew participants from government ministries, among them, Women Affairs; Justice; Education; Home Affairs as well as the Youth ministry.
Meanwhile, in her keynote speech during the launch, Vice President Joice Mujuru identified poverty and general parental neglect as some of the causes of rape and child marriages in the country.
Government’s indigenisation thrust towards black advancement has seen a lot of female traders being supported through group loans by government.
Many have taken the easier route of trading on imported ware from the country’s rich neighbours.
Gory tales of children being violated by older care givers have dominated local newspaper pages, the recent case being that of a Gokwe man who ruptured his juvenile victim’s uterus in a rape incident that sparked public outcry.
The high incidence of rape has elicited strong reactions among women’s rights activists and other Zimbabweans who want stiffer penalties imposed on sex offenders.
President Robert Mugabe, in one of his speeches has called for castration on rapists while his wife, Grace told a recent Blood Donor Day commemorations, rapists must be beheaded.
COMMENTS
Warn the kids about chiyangwa mliswa kaukonde van hoogstraten munyaradzi krikoga kaseke chinotimba matongo mandiwanzira zhanda zhuwao kereke joey bimha biggie Joel matiza good wills and the other zanupf predators cruising in obscene cars showing off
We concentrating on results not causes. What`s causing the increase in cross-border traders? Mismanagement of the economy. The cross border traders are simply trying to take care of these juveniles through their work. If they do not do that, hunger will expose the juveniles to rape again. Sort the economy first and parents will comfortably stay with their kids at home.
l still need to what kind of laws have been put for the protection of children either physically or sexually and how effective are these laws. What l have recognised is that nothing is being done to protect out children. Parent beat children as they please. What should happen from now and onwards is that any parent of a child who has been sexually molested must serve a jail sentence of not less than five years as this is referred to as child neglect which is actually a criminal offence.
if any parent or anybody physical or emotional abuse the child in any way, that person must be found guilty. I am going to make sure that this law will be put in place and become effective. Take it as a warning to those who think thy can abuse children and do as they pleases.