7
particularly during the Liberation War and the Matebeleland massacres of the 1980s. There have
been frequent assertions in Zimbabwe that rape has been used as a tool for repressing political
opposition and winning elections. The reports mentioned above make these assertions, but no
8
empirical study had been undertaken by Zimbabwean organisations until now. Aids Free World was
the first to specifically examine the issue of political rape in Zimbabwe. This report was supported by
9
another report by the Medical Foundation in London.
Politically motivated sexual violence against women in Zimbabwe takes many forms. These include
extreme violence, gang rape and insertion of objects (bottles and sticks) into the women‟s private
parts. In some of the instances, the rape is committed at the instigation of a military leader or war
veteran, showing that it is a strategy to intimidate political opponents. Often used during election
10
periods or periods of national importance, it is quite evident that the rape is used as a psychological
weapon in order to humiliate the opposition and undermine their morale.
The Global Political Agreement (GPA) acknowledges the fact that violence “dehumanises and
engenders feelings of hatred.” Violence against women should be addressed to ensure that there are
no lingering feelings of hatred and anger in society which can be the cause of future conflict,
especially in light of the fact that there is likely to be an election before the end of 2011. Talk of
elections is gathering momentum with the latest utterances from President Mugabe that, "We do not
want to pass June 2011 without elections. We want acceleration of pace."11 Therefore Zimbabweans
anticipate violence as this is the norm during recent election campaign periods, and it is highly likely
that rape will be used again. It has been a successful tactic particularly in the 2008 Presidential
12
election where thousands of women were subjected to all forms of atrocities in the name of politics .
None of the perpetrators have been called to account for the violence they committed.
In 2010, the Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) conducted a study on politically motivated rape 13 in
collaboration with the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) and the Doors of
Hope Development Trust, a self-help organisation formed by and consisting of women survivors of
politically motivated rape.
This study was based on 27 sworn legal affidavits and medical examinations of women who were
raped because of their political activity or the political activities of their husbands. The purpose of this
study was to highlight the experiences of women during elections, particularly in 2008. The sexual
assaults reported by this sample were extremely distressing, with horrific reports of gang rape. Some
of the women were raped by numerous perpetrators until they lost consciousness. The medical
examinations confirm genital trauma and other physical injuries consistent with rape as well as
psychological damage.
The aim of this follow-up report is to raise the legal, social, medical, and psychological concerns
surrounding the survivors of rape and how these can be addressed. Although justice was also on the
survivors‟ agenda, assistance to move on with their lives was their top priority. The Ministry of Health
and Child Welfare should have a programme catering specifically for victims of rape, and it is
important to include the family as part of the healing process; involving the men as well as the
children that may have witnessed the rape or those born as a result of rape14. Sexual violence should
7
Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) and the Legal Resources Foundation (LRF) (2007)„Breaking the Silence : A
Report on the Disturbances in Matabeleland and the Midlands‟ p. 13
8
Aids Free World “Electing to rape: sexual violence terror in Mugabe‟s Zimbabwe” 2009 www.aidsfreeworld.org. (Accessed 09
September 2010).
9
See Medical Foundation Justice Denied: The experiences of 100 torture surviving women of seeking justice and rehabilitation
2009 p 4.
10
For example the MDC‟s Final Push in June 2003
11
„ZANU(PF) Women‟s League Wants Mugabe To Rule Forever‟ http://news.radiovop.com (Accessed 18 October 2010)
12
CSVR (2009), Subliminal Terror? Human rights violations and torture in Zimbabwe during 2008 . Report produced for the
Centre for Violence and Reconciliation by Tony Reeler. June 2009. JOHANNESBURG: CSVR
13
RAU (2010) No Hiding Place: Politically Motivated Rape of Women in Zimbabwe Report prepared by RAU and ZADHR page 8.
14
Following a recent meeting with the Minister of Health and Child Welfare, an undertaking was given by the Minister to set up
a multi-sectoral committee to consider the problem of political rape.