Zimpapers Logo

Danisa Masuku
Will you pleasure me?

These are the painful words that haunted and resultantly pushed Kudakwashe Kunzekweguta (24), a rape survivor, to write a book and share her heart wrenching story.

Titled Survivor, the 14-page book lifts the lid on how she was raped by her neighbour a few years ago.

“When I dismissed from school at around midday, I saw my neighbour parked near the school’s main gate. He offered me a lift home and I agreed without suspecting.

“When we were approaching Ngozi Mine (which was off route) as we were going to Pumula where I reside, he stopped and parked his car by the roadside,” narrated Kunzekweguta.

She said this is when her neighbour uttered the words. While she was trying to figure out what he meant, the man pushed her to the ground and raped her.

Though she tried fighting him, he overpowered her.

Now, years later, Kunzekweguta takes solace in the fact that the rapist was thrown in jail where he is languishing.

In the book, she advises women who have been through similar situations to seek counselling from men of cloth and professional counsellors. Also, she encourages them not to lose focus.  “No matter what you go through, you have to seek counselling from pastors so that you pick yourself up and overcome the bitter experience in order to lead a normal life,” she said.

Kunzekweguta said failure to get counselling may result in others deciding to commit suicide.

“There’re some women who’re nursing scars of physical abuse. Some were raped and infected with HIV but such people aren’t meant to dwell on that, but instead open a new chapter and focus on the positive side of life.

“Failure to open a new chapter may lead to one committing suicide as they’ll find life unbearable,” she said.