Chronicle EditorRutendo Rori Marondera Correspondent
Murehwa district recorded the highest number of sexual violence cases in Mashonaland East province during the second quarter of this year, a National Aids Council report has shown.
According to the report, Murehwa was ahead of other districts, with 58 cases reported, and followed by Marondera which had 48 cases and Mutoko with 35. The province recorded a total of 228 cases, nine of which were against men.
“There was a slight increase in the number of clients who were sexually abused during the second quarter compared to the 221 clients who were reported to have been sexually abused in the first quarter of 2017,” reads the report.
“The slight increase in figures could have been as a result of widespread community sensitisation meetings against gender-based violence in the province.”
The report also mentioned that women continued to dominate the pleasure of services provided by the programme, as some sexually abused men were shy to open up.
“Men are not willing to report abuses perpetrated against them by women,” reads the report. There is need to scale up the mobilisation of men to take up services provided in communities in order for them not to miss out on important services like Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) and Psychological support.”
The report also indicated that sexual abuse cases were recorded and reported by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, although all implementing partners in the province were in the referral pathway for clients abused.
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