SOME people in rural areas are reluctant to report cases of rape of their children to police because they would not be paid compensation once they did so.
BY MOSES CHIBAYA
This emerged at a meeting organised by Padare/Enkundleni/ Men’s Forum held in Mutoko in Mashonaland East Province last week.
Villagers said they would rather settle the matter between themselves so that they could get compensated by the rapist.
Zanda Chakarova (75) of Dororo village said reporting the matter to the police would not help him.
“I am not happy with that. If I report the case to the police the culprit will be arrested, but I will not get anything, so I lose out,” Chakarova said.
Another villager Lidia Kanyandura (70) of Gurupiya village under chief Kabasa, concurred with Chakarova.
“It is impossible for me to report to the police that my under aged daughter has been raped,” said Kanyandura. “I would want to be compensated and nothing else.”
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But village head Iden Chitandariro (57) urged the community to report all cases of rape to the police.
He also encouraged Padare to intensify its awareness programmes to sensitise people about the importance of reporting cases of rape to the police.
“We sometimes discuss these issues on our own, but we are not taken seriously. But when police and other stakeholders come like this, it helps our communities to better appreciate these issues,” said Chitandariro.
Padare programme officer, Nakai Nengomasha said the organisation’s meetings, had been received well in some communities.
“Communities are responding but one would also appreciate that in our community, in a patriarchal community, sex is seen as a sacred thing,” he said.
