Reporting Rape: Part One in a Global Series
HARARE, ZIMBABWE – Rutendo Tapiwa Chigudu, 28, says that her 16-year-old neighbor came to her one day in September and told her she had been raped by the caretaker of their block of flats in Harare, the capital.
Chigudu volunteers with The Girls Legacy, a nongovernmental organization that seeks to build the capacity of young women and girls through leadership development and mentoring. She says that Kuda, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, declined to be interviewed for fear of repercussions.
Kuda was working as a maid in their block of flats in Harare. Chigudu says Kuda told her that one day, the caretaker of the block lured her into his flat. He took off Kuda’s underwear and threw them under a table before raping her.
Later, his wife found the underwear and threatened Kuda not to report the rape. The wife told Kuda that if her husband, the breadwinner of the family, ended up in prison, she would curse Kuda. Using the underwear as a talisman, the wife said that if her husband spent 30 years in prison, then she would curse Kuda with nonstop menstruation for an equal number of years.
Kuda received only room and board in the flats for her work as a maid. She did not receive monetary payment, so she had no money to leave the flats. Her relatives lived outside of Harare, so she had no nearby support aside from Chigudu.
Chigudu says that the Domestic Violence Act enables anyone to report cases of abuse, so she went to the police and reported the caretaker for raping Kuda. This led to the caretaker’s arrest. But his wife and family continued to intimidate Kuda.
“In society, rape is still perceived as the woman’s fault,” Chigudu says. “It is usually believed that the woman brought it upon herself, and if the rapist is married like in this case, then the victim is held responsible for breaking down the family.”
Chigudu says that this stigma has hindered Kuda from seeking the help and justice she deserves.
She says that Kuda later changed her story under the pressure from the caretaker’s family. She testified in court that she had lied about being raped and instead had had consensual sex with the caretaker. Chigudu says that she went to jail rather than the perpetrator, which reveals a flaw in the system.
“The police didn’t investigate further and find out that she had been intimidated into changing her story,” Chigudu says. “Her social status and economic standing has made her vulnerable to abuse. In many cases, such victims end up becoming victims again. It is a vicious cycle.”
Kuda spent two nights in jail then had to do more than 100 hours of community service. She then moved back home with her family in a rural area outside the city. Chigudu says that she hasn’t been able to persuade Kuda to go to counseling because Kuda is afraid her current employers or the caretaker’s family will find out.
Print
