38 This resulted in psychological trauma as women who were victims of rape do not know their health status and are afraid to be tested for HIV/AIDS, because it could adversely affect their marriages. In light of gendered realities in most Zimbabwean rural communities where a man is often the sole breadwinner, loss of such a man in the family would leave the wife and children exposed economically. There were only two election petitions observed thus far in which witnesses testified about the crime of rape, and in light of the issues above, the fact that only two cases mentioned it is not an accurate reflection of the incidence or frequency of this crime during the Parliamentary election period. The underreporting of rape should in no way minimize the seriousness of this crime and its ramifications on the women and their families of Zimbabwe. Godfrey Mumbarmarwo, the candidate for Mount Darwin South, described women and children had been raped in his constituency, and young girls were taken from their homes at night and raped at all-night Zanu (PF) meetings called pungwes. Two women testified in the Mberengwa West case that they were raped at a Zanu (PF) base camp. Elizabeth Tati and Babara Mavhingire testified in the Mberengwa West case that they were both raped by Francis Ncube at Texas Ranch, a war veteran base and torture center. Tati testified that she was abducted by Zanu (PF) youth on 4 June 2000. She was taken to Texas Ranch and handed over to Ncube. There, Ncube brandished a gun and told Tati that he would kill her if she refused to sleep with him. Mavhingire testified that she was also raped at gunpoint by Ncube on the same night as Tati. Both were forced to chant Zanu (PF) slogans and denounce MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai on the way to the torture center. Ncube allegedly told Mavhingire that it was useless to report the incident to the police because he was a war veteran. He said the government belonged to the war veterans and that nothing would be done to him. She proceeded to the Zvishavane police station where she was prepared to make a report but Ncube arrived before she could do so. She did not make a report for fear of further victimization. Threats and Intimidation – mass psychological torture Threats and intimidation were widely used against the electorate and MDC supporters. The threats were sometimes a precursor to a later beating by Zanu (PF) supporters, and sometimes victims were threatened whilst being tortured or beaten. Family members were threatened if they were related to an MDC member. Threats could be carried out with explicit or implicit results. For most, threats were even more terrifying because victims had no recourse, no protection, and lived in fear. Officers of the ZRP in most instances would not act when crimes were perpetrated against MDC supporters. A witness testified in the Buhera North case that Zanu (PF) agents, including Joseph Mwale, Mudzamiri, Kairos “Kitsiyatota” Zimunya, Richard Shayamono, Betty Mhiripiri and Solomon Chamtumba, allegedly told villagers that if they support the MDC, their property would be burned and their fields would be taken away. In Zvishavane, Christopher Mkwananzi reported overhearing a Zanu (PF) meeting at the Dongori School where he teaches in which supporters were told they should beat MDC supporters. If they were arrested, the speaker, a Nunungwe said, Zanu (PF) would pay their fines. After reporting that he had been beaten, Mkwananzi submitted a report to the Ministry of Education. He was then asked not to return to work. Other teachers at the Dongori school said they would not be able to continue teaching if other teachers were assaulted. A witness in Zvishavane testified that he was threatened and his MDC materials taken: AMANI Trust: Organised Violence and Torture in the June 2000 General Election in Zimbabwe