By Tatenda Murandu
In Tiger Reef mine in Kwekwe, gender based violence is not only threatening the lives of women and girls but it has left many families in distress. While some are bitter because of the loss of a loved one, others are living in fear.
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Gender based violence is societal menace that affect most women and girls in their lifetime. Gender-based violence refers to any type of harm that is perpetrated against a person or group of people because of their factual or perceived sex, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity. Gender-based violence is based on an imbalance of power and is carried out with the intention to humiliate and make a person or group of people feel inferior or subordinate. This type of violence is deeply rooted in the social and cultural structures, norms and values that govern society, and is often perpetuated by a culture of denial and silence. Gender-based violence can happen in both the private and public spheres and it affects women disproportionately. It can be sexual, physical, verbal, psychological or socio-economic and it can take many forms. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Zimbabwe,1 in 3 women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence and about 1 in 4 women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15.
Gender Based violence is not only devastating to the victims of the violence but it also affects families and the surrounding community. Tiger Reef is well known for high cases of child marriages as a result children’s rights to education and other needs are violated. Tiger Reef`s Victim Friendly Officer Spencer Gowere confirmed this. “The main cause of gender based violence in Tiger reef are early child marriages. Parents force their young girls into marriage when they fall pregnant during courtship. These unplanned and forced marriages usually lead to most being abused physically or emotionally. We need to stop these old practices,” he said.
As it is a gold mine infested community, many miners stay there and because of poverty young girls are enticed into sexual relationships or transactional sex with them. Cases of machete killing which have become synonymous with gold panners are also on the rise. Tiger Reef residents now live in fear of these machete carrying gold panners. As a result they do not help out women they see being assaulted by panners.
Sarah Kapaira a Tiger Reef resident confirmed this as she pointed out that on one occasion a young woman was chased around the compound by a machete wielding gold panner and no one came to her rescue. “She was chased around the compound in broad daylight and was later found dead. It’s a painful situation and we wish we could help but at the end of the day we all fear for our lives,’ she said.
Different organisations having seen the need are carrying out awareness campaigns against gender based violence in Tiger Reef. Village headman Savanhu Lazarus is of the view that “awareness campaigns against gender based violence play a pivotal role in the community. They educate residents on how to handle such situations.”