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Vaidah Mashangwa

Loveness Bepete Chronicle Reporter
Bulawayo pressure groups against gender-based violence have called for a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years for rape and sodomy.
Representatives of the pressure groups that attended the provincial launch of the 16 days of activism against gender based violence on Monday, said the sentences being meted against rapists and those convicted of sodomy were not deterrent enough hence the increase in cases of rape and sodomy especially against children.

The provincial officer in the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development,Vaidah Mashangwa, said there was a need to come up with deterrent sentences against rapists.

“The minimum sentence for those convicted of rape or sodomy must be 30 years. Anyone who rapes children under the age of 12 should be locked up even for life. The sentences should be more severe for those that engage in gang rape and rapists that are HIV positive,” said Mashangwa.

She said time had come for the country to send out a clear message to rapists and would-be-abusers that society does not tolerate animalistic behaviour.

Mashangwa said what was disheartening was that most of the victims of rape and sodomy were children aged below 12 years.

According to statistics released by her ministry, 3,045 children were raped countrywide between January and October this year compared to 3,297 raped during the same period last year.

Mashangwa said the Inter-ministerial committee researching on gender-based violence had noted that rape cases were on the increase and blamed this on lenient sentences meted on the offenders.

She said the committee’s research had also established that most of the victims of sexual abuse were children from child-headed families who lacked parental protection.

Mashangwa said in a bid to fight gender based violence, the government’s campaigns focused on prevention, protection and participation.

She said the campaigns targeted schools, churches, tertiary institutions and workplaces.

Mashangwa said it was important for all rape cases to be reported to the police including cases where relatives are the culprits.

“Families should never attempt to settle rape cases but should instead report the cases to the police as soon as possible,” she said.

Cde Mashangwa said rape victims are traumatised and it is only when their cases have been reported to the police and other relevant authorities that they can be helped to recover.

She said it was worrying that about 40 percent of families whose members are victims of sexual abuse have kept the cases a secret.

The police victim friendly unit estimates that more than 90 percent of rape victims are attacked by people they know and trust, like family members, teachers, neighbours and friends.

The 16 days of activism against gender based violence is an international campaign which started in 1991 and runs from November 25 to December 10.