Chronicle Editor
THE trauma of being raped is too much for women or girls but it becomes worse when parents do not believe the victims or take no action when they approach them about the abuse.
This translates to secondary trauma where victims suffer guilt and blame themselves for the painful ordeal they would have gone through at the hands of their abusers.
This affects victims psychologically and may lead to drug and substance abuse, self-harm and in the worst cases, suicide.
This is why parents, or any member of the community, should act swiftly when approached by rape victims and report such matters to the police while they also seek socio-psychological support for the abused.
We are concerned about two different cases that we published where parents failed to act after their children approached them after they were raped.
In the first case, a woman from Gokwe, Midlands province despite being told by her 13-year-old daughter about the crime, failed to report her husband to the police for raping their child on three different occasions.
The matter came to light when concerned neighbours reported the case to the Social Welfare Department who in turn reported the matter to the police leading to the arrest of the accused person.
The man appeared in court and was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
In the second case, a father from Hwange, Matabeleland North province failed to report to the police his nephew, who raped his daughter over a period of three years.
The rapist cousin was arrested following a tip-off from a member of the public and was sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison.
In passing the sentence, Hwange regional magistrate Mr Mark Dzira, lashed out at the girl’s father for failing to take action after his daughter reported the abuse to him.
“It is disappointing to note that the accused took advantage of the complainant who is his cousin and sexually abused her for three years.
What is even more shocking is the fact that the father didn’t report the matter despite the complainant having alerted him, which is quite disheartening,” said Mr Dzira.
Members of the public are reminded that by concealing a crime, they will be guilty of defeating the ends of justice.
Last year, a 47-year-old woman from Beitbridge was jailed for an effective four years for trying to protect her husband who had raped and impregnated their 16-year-old stepdaughter.
The woman is said to have induced an abortion on her daughter who resultantly fell ill leading to the discovery of the crime.
Online Reporter