Caption adopted from NewsDay Zimbabwe
By Chen Williams
There has been a dire growing trend of rape, early child marriages, prostitution, and murder of women in various communities throughout Africa, and Zimbabwe is not spared from these immoral dilemmas as an explicit contrast reveals a progressive national habit of sexualizing and abusing women in various industries and social spaces.
No woman is born bitter nor loose; there had to be a man and accomplices involved in creating the kind of people that are secretly desired but publicly bashed and condemned due to their unfortunate state or individual nature. The rate of prostitution in Zimbabwe has reached an alarming rate, the industry has a plethora of the female gender of all ages, sizes, shades, and ethnicities. It is very much possible to come across someone’s wife, mother, or daughter living in the filthiest and saddest way to survive or fend for her own.
It is not surprising anymore to come across a news article or headline titled ‘Sex worker gang rapped in the street’ or ’14-year-old dies during childbirth in Epworth.’ These are real-life occurrences, and they are not limited to sex workers only.
The living standards and safety of women and children in a nation show a reflection of the government and the strength in leadership of the men in that country. Unfortunately, evidence highlights a great weakness in Zimbabwe and an overly sexualized aura.
It is now a known fact in the country that the chances of women having extramarital affairs or experiencing sexual assault in various industries are quite high and common. Company managers and CEOs in various professions use their influence to have marital affairs with their subordinates.
The military and police force, actually almost every government institution seems to have issues with sexual harassment and affairs within working spaces. Some women are coerced to engage in sexual relations, for example, the sale of a promotion. Other women unfortunately experience sexual assault; their personal space and parts are violated, while some women search for work husbands and more in their career begin consequential relations.
Now, due to these different environments and circumstances, the risks of gender-based violence between married couples and the raping of women in workplaces are at gross percentages. In order to address GBV there is need to scrutinize the root causes, and of these include the skeletons of company lunch hours, and these employee business trips. Laws and polices that govern issues of infidelity, sexual harassment, and unprofessional relations in companies and industries, especially with civil servants truly need to be revised.
It makes no sense when a Chinese subordinate at a certain Hwange coal mine is raping his female employee in his office whilst other African women are having their breasts fondled and coerced into sexual relations. Where are the laws that hold such people accountable, because it is not just the Chinese, even Zimbabwean men are sexualizing their women at work.
Until policies, effective measures and laws are put to protect women and punish those who engage in unprofessional relations at work, the issues of GBV and rape will remain a persisting one, and any efforts or activism will be futile in the permanent fight.
Tackling the root causes with law and enforcement, and with educational awareness will grossly reduce the rate of abuse of the girl child, her mother and sisters. The sexualization of women has become such an issue it is also persistent in schools, universities, and also in families that keep the rape of their daughter a secret or those that marry her off to a wealthy perverted individual.
Child marriages in Zimbabwe have gotten out of hand and serious national scrutiny is required especially when you realize that most Zimbabweans are religious people, and practice different faiths such as Christianity and the apostolic faith, that’s your Madzibaba Ishamael of Johanne Masowe eChishanu.
Child marriages and rape are silent but critical issues within these religions as you come across incidents in which a pastor can be accused of having marital affairs with married women in his church, or of raping someone during a one on one prayer session. The need for education and awareness can help both parents and the girl child to not be conned by pedophiles and perverts under such a disguise.
Women are being raped at prayer sessions by their own religious leaders and congregates. The problems women are facing in this country can be traced to the weak men, perverts, a father’s absence or failures, poverty and national leadership.
The boy child and future male generations need to be raised well, disciplined and educated in order to have future leaders and strong men that will fight against perverts with power, and the villains of women. The country as a whole needs to unite, revise and upgrade their customs, traditions, policies and laws that work to discipline and educate the male in respecting and protecting the female. The entertainment industry and social media play crucial roles in promoting or fighting against the sexualization of women throughout the world. Research and evidence proves that the African woman is the most sexualized female whether in the diaspora or in Africa. Social media and entertainment portray African women in a negative way as overly sexual materialistic and uneducated individuals.
One might choose to argue but take a look at the stereotype or typical black American woman, most of them are described as unnecessarily loud, materialistic, difficult but are surprisingly praised and desired when the discussions turn sexual. Even with the kind of music, shows, and movies produced by black people or productions like Black Entertainment Television BET, you can notice. Keep in mind that the black American culture or stereotype is the most influential to African women and men.
Fostering positive coexistence between women and men will limit the issues of prostitution, rape, sexual harassment, and gender-based violence in Zimbabwe, therefore the importance of law and community justice when it concerns rape and marital affairs. Education and identity can protect the nation, its women and children. Educating women on laws surrounding their rights in any industry or situation, and encouraging men to exercise their protective nature will bring forth peace between the two genders, and the weak men that prey on women and children will have no power to perpetuate rape, violence, and exploitation.