The Sunday News
Leonard Ncube in Hwange
ABOUT 200 girls and women with various disabilities were sexually abused between January and this month, a local organisation has revealed.
According to Leonard Cheshire Disability Zimbabwe’s findings, only 30 percent of the cases have been convicted while the rest are either pending or perpetrators have gone scot free.
Speaking on the sidelines of a stakeholders’ workshop organised by Leonard Cheshire Disability at the Hwange magistrates’ courts on Wednesday, the organisation’s projects officer for access to justice for girls and women with disability, Ms Nobuhle Moyo called for a multi-stakeholder support for disabled victims of sexual abuse.
“From the research we have done, we have realised that girls and women living with disabilities are more prone to gender-based violence and sexual abuse. Every disabled girl is prone to abuse but those who are mentally challenged are the worst affected.
“Up to date we have handled 190 cases of girls and women living with different disabilities who have been raped. Of these, 148 are girls with mental challenges and these statistics indicate that such girls are more prone,” said Ms Moyo.
She said in most cases perpetrators take advantage of the victims’ unstable state of mind assuming that they would not be able to report.
Ms Moyo decried the information gap where girls with disability were not aware of their rights after abuse, adding that the victims also face difficulties narrating the abuse while they also face little support from the mainstream society.
“We work in a multi-sectoral set up and most cases are refereed by the police. We have noticed a communication barrier hence the need to equip service providers so that disabled victims can access justice.
“We are going around courts in Zimbabwe to sensitise them on disability and challenges that affect people with disability. Some of the challenges we face include difficulties following up on cases either because of distance or victims disappear. At the end of the day you would want the perpetrator to be convicted but only about 30 percent of perpetrators are convicted while 70 percent of cases are either not yet complete or perpetrators can’t be located,” added Ms Moyo.
She called upon all stakeholders and the Government to work together and understand that girls and women living with disabilities have specific needs different from other women hence they should be assisted differently.
From the same organisation, Mr Gift Nhawu called on the judicial sector to seriously consider training its staff on Sign Language use to bridge information gap as well as ensure access to justice by the disabled.
Visually impaired Mrs Otilia Panganai accused the police of discouraging victims by asking for details that people of her condition cannot give such as description of perpetrators.
Hwange regional magistrate Mr Collet Ncube said the courts and prosecution will always strive to ensure everyone has access to justice. -@ncubeleon
