death threats and threats of physical harm to his person and his pets.35 government was “a key factor in influencing change in terms of how issues of sexual orientation and gender identity are addressed both at state level and among the ordinary Zimbabweans.” According to the survey, 50% of gay men in Zimbabwe had been physically assaulted and 64% had been disowned by their families. 27% of lesbians also reported disownment. Importantly, GALZ noted that “the number of violations is just the tip of the iceberg in relation to the many other incidences that are taking place unreported within the communities where LGBTI persons live.” In 2018, GALZ released a report from their survey, and the report titled Actus Reus: Analysis of Human Rights Violations Against LGBTI Persons in Zimbabwe drew data from a total of 170 violations extracted from 104 actual cases compiled and categorized by GALZ into 12 types.36 The 12 recorded categories were assault, threats, outing , discrimination, police harassment, unlawful detention, disownment, blackmail, displacement, unfair labour practice, hate speech and invasion of privacy. The report showed that of these recorded categories, the most common violations were assault (19%), threats (15%), blackmail (15%) and being outed (11%). The study also found that the country’s LGBTI persons often left school at an early age due to discrimination. Key facts and figures Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ 170 violations were reported, 104 of them compiled by GALZ. 12 recorded categories of violations were assault, threats, outing, discrimination, police harassment, unlawful detention, disownment, blackmail, displacement, unfair labour practice, hate speech and invasion of privacy. Most common violations were assault (19%), threats (15%), blackmail (15%) and being outed (11%). 50% of gay men in Zimbabwe had been physically assaulted. 64% of gay men had been disowned by their families. 27% of lesbians reported disownment. Criminal Sanctions Most Common Violations Section 73 of the Criminal Code proscribes “any act involving physical contact between men that would be regarded by a reasonable person to be an indecent act”; consensual homosexual activity is criminalised. This provision in fact used to cover only anal sexual intercourse between males. The Criminal Code has expanded the scope of this crime, and it now includes not only acts of anal sexual intercourse, but also any act involving physical contact between males that would be regarded by a reasonable person as an indecent act, for example, masturbation of a male by another male. Both males would be charged. To note is that the provision only covers Being outed (11%) Blackmail (15%) Threats (15%) Assault (19%) 35. See “Gay deputy headmaster resigns” DailyNews, 28 September 2018, https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2018/09/28/gayheadmaster-resigns. 36. The full report is available at Kubatana.Net at www.kubatana.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Violations-Report-FinalActus.pdf 43 STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT ZIMBABWE 2018