Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
GOVERNMENT has commissioned Zvishavane District’s first safe house for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, marking a significant step in strengthening protection and support services for vulnerable women and girls.
The facility, established in partnership with the Bethany Project, will provide shelter, protection and psychosocial support to survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) — a challenge that continues to affect communities across the country.
Government has already reaffirmed its commitment to ending GBV through the National Development Strategy 2, the Domestic Violence Act, and partnerships with non-governmental organisations and traditional leaders.
The safe house will offer temporary shelter, counselling, medical referrals and legal assistance to survivors, giving them a secure space to recover while cases are processed.
According to Zvishavane District Development Coordinator, Mr Darlington Chokera, the facility addresses a long-standing gap in the district, where survivors previously had to travel to neighbouring towns for accommodation and psychosocial support. Mr Chokera said this while commissioning the safe house in the mining town.
“We are excited as Zvishavane District that we now have a safe space for gender-based violence survivors. The facility will provide survivors with access to vital information and services,” he said.
Mr Chokera noted that the opening of the safe house is expected to reduce stigma, encourage reporting, and ensure timely intervention.
“I am confident that the Bethany Safe House, which provides a safe space for women and girls to interact, will ensure residents have access to information on their rights, including GBV prevention information,” he said.
“I also appreciate the GBV response services such as psychosocial support and financial resources.”
Bethany Project director, Mrs Rebecca Gumbo, said the absence of safe spaces had often forced women to remain trapped in abusive situations.
“Women used to keep quiet because they had nowhere to go, allowing the abuse to continue unchecked. We feared being accused of breaking up marriages by taking them in,” she said.
Mrs Gumbo said the initiative is important as it adds to efforts aimed at preventing and responding to GBV.
“The commissioning of the safe house is expected to strengthen community-based responses to gender-based violence and improve access to support services for survivors,” she said.
“With the facility now operational, survivors in Zvishavane have a dedicated place of safety, offering renewed hope and a pathway towards recovery and empowerment,” she said.
Community leaders and women’s organisations welcomed the development, saying it restores dignity and hope to survivors who often endure violence in silence due to a lack of safe options.
Zvishavane mayor, Councillor Takarangana Keta, said the safe house is more than a building, adding that it is a place of healing, justice and new beginnings.
“The commissioning of the Zvishavane safe house adds to a growing network of shelters across the country aimed at protecting survivors and holding perpetrators accountable.
“For many residents, the safe house represents a long-awaited refuge for those escaping abuse and seeking assistance,” he said.
A local resident Ms Rumbidzai Massimo urged fellow community members to make full use of the facility and support referral systems for survivors.
“Let’s use this safe house for its intended purpose and ensure cases are referred to the relevant offices for proper support.
“We appreciate the partnership with the Bethany Project. We look forward to working together to reduce GBV cases within our community,” she said.
