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B-Metro Reporter . .
Many disabled sexual abuse victims continue to have their rights trampled upon as families protect perpetrators, who in most cases are close relatives and breadwinners.
So prevalent is the secrecy surrounding rape of the disabled that a disability advocacy committee chairman, who is also a village head in Singwango, in Insiza District, Elliot Mathuthu, was shocked when one of the villagers related a case of rape involving her sister that had occurred some years ago.
a�?I am hearing about that case for the first time here. We need to continue to raise awareness among our people, not to sweep such issues under the carpet.A� They should report these cases to the police and bring them to our attention so that the criminals are punished,a�? said Mathuthu.
The abuse victima��s sister, however, said in an interview after the meeting to discuss HIV and Aids and sexual rights of the disabled, that her sistera��s case was reported and the perpetrator later arrested after he fled and stayed in the mountains for a while evading arrest.
She lamented the impact that the abuse had on the 40-year-old mentally retarded and physically disabled woman who was now affected by stomach ailments regularly. However, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections tests came out negative. The rapist later died in prison.
The woman also said that she had heard of three other recent cases of abuse of disabled girl children in her community but that families chose not to report the cases. Asked if they involved one perpetrator, she said according to the reports, three different men were involved.
a�?At times it may take someone outside that family to report such cases but also ita��s difficult how one would start, considering a whole family would be keen to hide such a case,a�? she said.
Jairos Jiri Centre disability co-ordinator Jennifer Mabikwa said in a bid to raise awareness to ensure that disability issues were taken seriously in communities, they deliberately included opinion leaders in advocacy issues, hence the village head was chairman of the local committee.
She said she had no knowledge of actual cases of abuse in Singwango area but that her role was to teach the disabled and the community about the rights of people living with disability especially in the face of HIV and Aids.
a�?Many disabled people do not attend meetings where such issues of HIV and Aids are discussed. They are left at home partly because of the long distances to the meeting venues but they also need to be empowered since they also get into relationships. We also visit them at home and work with their caregivers to teach them how best to handle them,a�? she said.
Meanwhile, the disabled and their relatives that brought them to the meeting had a lively interaction with presenters, especially the humorous Innocent Sibanda,the referral centre facilitator at Singwango Clinic, where the meeting was held. He demonstrated the correct use of both male and female condoms during a lively session punctuated by a lot of laughter.
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