Yet another screaming and saddening headline in The Daily Times of 9 March 2006, are such headlines becoming ‘normal’ to us that we don’t spare a thought to really ‘digest’ what they mean, if I’m to borrow from my friend’s Robert’s vocabulary. A 15 year old girl was forced by her relatives and chief of her area to have sex with a man old enough to be her father so as to ‘confirm’ her that she is now a woman at the end of her initiation ceremony (kupfumbura ufa). The girl initially refused because she didn’t want to, she knew the dangers posed by such practises which include exposure to H.I. Virus amongst other sexually transmitted diseases. When she initially refused she was threatened with being chased away from her village. She also had no bus fare to take her to her father in Phalombe, thus she consented under ‘duress’. What could she have done?
The same girl reports that girls as young as 6 years old and pregnant women as well are being forced to sleep with these sold men in her village so as to initiate them in to womanhood, EXCUSE ME!
So what do we do about this and related practises?
• Isn’t this rape? What’s your definition of rape? Being forced /threatened to have sex with someone against your will?
• In Zimbabwe if you have sex with a minor, that is anyone below the age of 16 years its deemed as statutory rape regardless of whether the minor consented or not. It carries a minimum custodial sentence of 5 years if it was consensual.
• What about H.I.V/A.I.D.S? Are there any links between such cultural practices and the spread of the pandemic? Young kids as young as 6 years old sleeping with old men, pregnant women sleeping with other men not their husbands?
• How about poverty and the spread of H.I.V/A.I.D.S? IS there a link between the two? The focus girl didn’t have money to go to her father?
• Could the girl have asked/negotiated for condom use? What would the old men say? What would her community think of her? What about the 6 year olds, do they even know a condom?
• Are there any rights being violated, which ones? Whose rights?
• What then happens to the perpetrators of these acts? Can they be arrested, if yes, what crime have they committed?
Another issue that worries me the most is that the girl in question reported this issue at a local meeting between her community (chiefs, elders; everyone was there) and an International Non Governmental Organisation. What did the N.G.O do? It sought to dialogue this issue of ‘kupfumbura ufa’ with the village elders. The Group Village Head said that she was ‘surprised’ that this practise was still continuing since they had attended various workshops tackling this issue and it was resolved that it would be abolished. Maybe our representatives just go there for the money? Was her final remark.
• What could have the N.G.O. done?
• So do these rapists and paedophiles just go scot free?
• What can we do about it as individuals?
Article by RASHEED A.
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6 comments:
what can we do as individuals to ensure that this and other such practises come to a stop. Remember it starts with you! Do we have to wait and let this affect us pesonally, for example my sister or daughter falling prey to this practise before we can start acting and REACT!
it sounds really disgusting and inhumane to realise that such brutalities are been perpetrated by the people we entrust leadership to our so called men,chiefs, elders.etc However, i feel that any less than effective actions or inactions we take with regard regard to our level of our awareness of such heinous crime incriminate us to the highest degree of illegality.Let's take action now.........Yes you and I
SAM
As I am writing i've started the fight since it begins with me. honestly it is very pathetic that even our local communities are accepting this evil act hence lets join hands and empower young children and also sensitise the society through a self discovery learning approach for effective results!
Its sad to hear of such incidents in our wourld today. One would think that with the spread of HIV and AIDS such practices would automatically cease to exist. However, there is need for each one of us (ordinary citizens, the goverment and NGOs)to address these high risk practicess openly so that the messages against them are clear. Those who are forced to go through such practices should also be provided with channels for reporting abuse and all the support which they need. We need everyone's support for us to do away with these practices!!!!!
there is need for all of us (individuals,n.g.o's, government,e.t.c.)to fight this scourge, but how?
very very sad with what is happenining and we call it cultural practices..............pple's life is at risk bcoz of our so called cuture practices...i believe there is more work to do in remote ares, otherwise our generation will be....eeeeeish.
we have a role to play individually more especislly ME/YOU.
i love youth and i know what a future has coz are so active.
we can> cool c
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