By Helliet Nyamunda
Last week on Thursday, the 22nd of March 2018 in Marlborough, Katswe Sistahood launched a campaign on date rape to help and educate date rape victims on their rights and that it is actually a crime to date rape someone. The meeting was attended by different civil society organizations, victims, members of parliament and South African activists.
Date rape is when you are raped by someone you have a relationship with like a boyfriend. Date rape drugs, which often have no smell or taste, can be given to you without you knowing at parties or in a club, especially where alcohol is served.
Alcohol can make you less aware of danger and make you less able to think clearly to resist sexual assault. If you are given date rape drugs, you may not be able to say “no” to unwanted sex and you may not be able to clearly remember what happened, said Katswe Director.
The campaign is running against date rape and marital rape. Doctor Nonhlanhla gave the psychological and physical side effects of date rape which include diminished social confidence, post-traumatic stress, personality disorders, depression and flashbacks, unplanned pregnancy, exposure to HIV and STIs and painful sex.
Mr Mufunga, Muzarabani Member of Parliament advised and encouraged people not to help relatives commit and deny their crimes.
According to research, 31% of young people between the ages of 18 to 24 encountered their first sexual intercourse through date rape. 78% of females reported having had experience violence from partners and mainly sexual violence and among those, only 7% got help and medical services.
Washington Mushairi a member of parliament from Maramba-Pfumwe talked about the creation of new laws that protect women and as well encouraging people to practice the current laws that are there. He said that such workshops and campaigns must involve everyone that is the victims and perpetrators so that everyone is educated.
Many female members of parliament admitted that they were date raped and they are living with the perpetrators and that they didn’t know that they were date raped before the campaign. They urged victims and those around them to report rape cases and educate our male counterparts so that they know that they will be committing a crime. They also encouraged the girls to avoid going to tricky places with their boyfriends that attracts rape.
Jessy from Bulawayo pleaded for the inclusion of sexual reproductive health education in primary schools and the abortion of unwanted rape seeds to be legalized and donations of unwanted rape children to homes.
Katswe Sistahood director pleaded to the members of parliament for justice of rape survivors, scrutinisation of the location of the victim friendly unit, change of language, education of girls and creation of support systems of survivors and that PEP should be availed on demand.
