Fake rape reports rise

Manicaland Bureau
THERE is a worrying increase in the number of false rape reports being made, as purported victims hope to get free medical, psycho-social and financial services meant for rape victims and survivors, an official has said. Speaking at the Manicaland first quarter gender coordination meeting held in Mutare recently, Ministry of Women and Youth Affairs, Gender and Community Development district head, Mr Gabriel Jaji, said it was worrisome that some women were fabricating cases of rape after engaging in consensual sex.

He said the culprits were usually under-age girls or women unfaithful to their spouses or partners.
“We have realised that some of the teenagers engage in consensual sexual intercourse, but when they accidentally become pregnant they are quick to falsely report rape,” he said. “These individuals at times indicate rape by strangers in an attempt to try and ward off police investigations into the matter.

“The description of the perpetrators is usually inconsistent, blurred and vague.”
Desk officer in the Victim and Friendly Unit, Constable Edwell Shonhiwa, said the accounts were usually uncorroborated, with culprits compulsively changing their stories, adding dramatic details and disregarding physical evidence or the account they originally gave.

He attributed the increase in false rape reports to a desire to circumvent prevailing economic hardships through accessing free medical and psycho-social support from Government and its development partners.

“The services sought after include sympathy and support from society, medical services which encompass termination of pregnancy, HIV testing, prevention and medication, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and infections,” he said.

Constable Shonhiwa said the worrying trend had affected the credibility of real victims of abuse, as authorities were becoming increasingly sceptical of women who came forward with cases of rape and sexual assault.

Provincial development officer Emillo Chihoro said the trend was a reflection of moral decay in the society, as people increasingly tried to manipulate the law to try and cover up behavioural problems.

“Accusers who fabricate rape as an alibi are in most cases trying to cover up for their behavioural problems, as some of them are under-age and are not supposed to be having sexual intercourse in the first place,” he said.

“Apart from creating a persistent uncertainty about the credibility of victims, as well as a decrease in public trust for rape survivors, a lot of time, energy and resources are wasted in pursuit of an imaginary perpetrator and this at times has the effect of wrongful conviction of innocent civilians.”