12 clothing. She was forced to lie on the cold floor and they took turns to rape her. One police officer stood guard at the door whilst the other raped her. These rapes took place over a period of three days. X was taken in a private car and dropped off on the road between Harare and Masvingo. She fled to sister‘s place and was informed upon her arrival that soldiers had been looking for her. She then fled to South Africa. Effects of Rape As was mentioned at the outset of this report, there are always significant concerns about sexual violence against women, and especially in times of collective violence. Earlier it was noted that the reported incidence of rape in this sample was considerably higher than in previous human rights reports, although the incidence was similar to that reported in a recent community survey. Hence it was decided to examine the cases of rape as a separate category, and the rape cases were compared with the remainder of the sample. A number of disturbing findings emerged. Firstly, women that reported rape were also significantly more likely to report severe torture, 20 and particularly beatings [81% v 59%], electrical shock [10% v 0], and psychological torture [95% v 75%]. Secondly, women that reported rape were significantly more likely to have experienced multiple experiences of torture.21 Thirdly, women that reported rape were more likely to have their first gross human rights violation, but not necessarily the rape, in 2002, the year of the Presidential election. Interestingly, both the data from the Human Rights Forum and the ActionAid International community survey confirm 2002 as having the highest incidence of rape in the past 6 years, although the ActionAid survey aggregates the data for 2001 to 2003. 22 Finally, as has been observed in many studies of women that have experienced political rape, the health consequences for this group were more severe than for the remainder. The women who reported rape had significantly higher scores on psychiatric screening and were significantly more likely to be placed on psychotropic medication by a psychiatrist. 23 Thus, rape was both associated with more severe abuse and more serious health consequences. Case Study: Mathilda was an MDC supporter in Nkayi. In 2002 she was discovered to be carrying an MDC membership card by Zanu PF supporters who were wearing MDC T-shirts. She was forced into a car, blindfolded and taken to a cattle Kraal in the bush. She was interrogated and beaten with baton sticks all day. She was burnt with firewood on her arms and legs. Her clothing were cut off with a knife and she was raped by two men. After the rape they left her lying in the kraal. Towards the Presidential elections in 2005 she was instructed by Zanu PF supporters to attend ZAnu PF meetings. She did not attend three meetings. She was forced to urinate into a tin and 20 21 22 23 Rape versus no rape [total number of torture types reported; p=0.0005]. Rape versus no rape; number of incidents [2.29 v 1.66; p=0.007]. See again Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (2006), An Analysis of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum Legal Cases, 1998–2006. Published by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. June 2006, HARARE: ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM; also ActionAid (2005), An in-depth study on the impact of Operation Murambatsvina/Restore Order in Zimbabwe. ActionAid International in collaboration with the Counselling Services Unit (CSU), Combined Harare Residents‘ Association (CHRA) and the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP). November 2005. Rape versus no rape, SRQ-8 score [6.0 v 4.9; p=0.007]; Rape versus no rape, prescribed psychotropic medication [19.1% v 14%,; p=0.05].