adminRumbidzai Marime Focus on Children
Tears form pools in her eyes and threaten to break into floods down her face as she sadly narrates how her father the only hero she has known in all of her 7years, has been sexually abusing her.
She does not even know the words to describe what happened to her and barely comprehends the act.
All she knows is that she suffered physical pain, her body hurts in places she did not know could hurt and is filled with a deep shame as a result of her instincts telling her that what happened is wrong.
Her only way of expressing her story is by depicting what happened with two dolls, one noticeably bigger and more menacing than the other. The day her father raped her will forever be marked in her memory as the day all innocence was lost to her.
Today’s contemporary World is characterised by a dilution of culture and introduction to new practises that are representative of the modern era which is known for breaking boundaries and exploring beyond that which was previously socially acceptable. The sexual morality that was understood back in the day and the current prevailing are worlds apart. Reports are being made constantly on disturbing cases that reflect the breakdown of moral fibre and values such as fathers raping their own flesh and blood, church pastors abusing their trusting congregants and grandfathers sodomising their own bloodline.
What happened to the principles that were enshrined in us as Africans that clearly define the roles associated with each relation and distinguish the levels of interaction between individuals? Who are the children to trust if the role models of society are the perpetrators of abuse?
Many a time one will overhear people talking lowly of commercial sex workers describing them as vermin and filth that has no value in our society.
Upon engaging one 15 year old girl who has been peddling her flesh for almost a year at a local bar, she narrated the gruesome details of ordeals she has had to suffer at the hands of men who look respectable by day but become animals by night in alley ways and dingy bars.
The sad reality is that there would be no prostitution if there was no market for it.
What it seemingly means is that the people responsible for the deviance that has ravaged our moral fibre and broken down common decency in society is Us! That teacher that children look up to as a role model, your brother or uncle, the School Head entrusted to govern over the education of children, that business mogul who has earned the respect of society, the woman who religiously adorns her church uniform off to church meetings, that domestic worker who cares for your child and the Pastor who is there to guide morality are all potential perpetrators of abuse.
We are living in difficult times where each day the boundaries of what was known as normalcy are constantly being pushed. Those principles taken for granted as conditioned into every being are no longer guaranteed. The more society accepts or turns a blind eye to deviance, the more it increases to the point of appearing seemingly normal. For instance, it is becoming all too common to see older men in the company of young school or college girls who represent the ages of their own offspring. Instead of admonishing such behaviour, others will look on in envy seemingly giving props to the man who has managed to hook himself a ‘spring chicken’.
Women are also enticing young males with material benefits giving reason to coin the term ‘ben10’ which is used to describe romantic and sexual relations between older women and young boys or young men.
Children are growing up in an environment that exposes them to sexual maturity too early which poses a threat on their survival in terms of health related issues such as HIV and also their ability to explore their own potential. Can we blame them if we the adults expose them to our own indecent shenanigans?
We have a joint responsibility to preserve the innocence of our children and guide their progress into adulthood. Thus it is against this background that Simukai Child Protection Programme appeals to all persons to desist from immoral practises with or in front of children.
Let us all teach children better values that we as adults might fail to practise behind closed doors.
For further comments, discussion or feedback please email [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>or visit our facebook page: Simukai Child Protection Programme or website: Simukaicpp.org.
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