By A Correspondent – Traditional leaders under the Masvingo Women Rights Advocacy Group (MWRAG)’s Women’s Support Lead (WSL) initiative have raised serious concerns over a surge in rape and sexual violence cases across Masvingo Province, with many incidents involving perpetrators who are close relatives of the victims. The trend, particularly affecting young girls, is exposing deep vulnerabilities within families and communities and demands urgent, coordinated intervention.

In Gutu East, one of the priority areas under MWRAG monitoring, cases of rape are increasingly linked to individuals entrusted with children’s care, including uncles, grandfathers, and other male relatives. Community leaders say this betrayal of trust is leaving survivors emotionally scarred and psychologically distressed. Many affected girls suffer long-term trauma such as reduced self-esteem, depression, and, in severe cases, suicidal tendencies, especially when forced to continue living in proximity to perpetrators.

Women in these communities report growing fear for their children’s safety, noting that even extended family environments are no longer secure. This erosion of trust has disrupted family structures and contributed to widespread underreporting, as families often suppress cases to protect reputations or avoid stigma.

MWRAG Women’s Support Leads have further highlighted a concerning prevalence of early marriage and statutory rape in Apostolic sect-dominated areas such as Marange and among Mwazha believers. In these communities, harmful religious practices and beliefs often shield perpetrators, resulting in many cases remaining unreported. Girls under the age of 18 are being forced into marriages, practices that constitute statutory rape under Zimbabwean law but are frequently concealed under the guise of religious doctrine.

These violations directly contravene Zimbabwe’s Constitution, including Section 19 on the protection of children, Section 81(1)(e), which guarantees protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, Section 52 on the right to personal security, and Section 53 on protection from inhuman or degrading treatment. Early marriages also violate the Constitutional Court ruling in Mudzuru and Another v Minister of Justice (2016), which set 18 as the minimum age of marriage. Additionally, the Marriages Act [Chapter 5:11] prohibits child marriages, while the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23], particularly Sections 65 and 70, criminalizes rape and sexual intercourse with minors. These abuses further breach international obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 34), CEDAW, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (Article 21).

Despite these legal provisions, MWRAG notes that many of these communities remain underserved, with weak enforcement systems and limited access to survivor support services. Poor investigations, lack of evidence preservation, and community interference often lead to cases collapsing, allowing perpetrators to return to their communities without accountability.

In response, MWRAG has intensified capacity-building efforts through its WSL programme, training traditional leaders to identify gender-based violence cases, provide immediate support, and refer survivors to relevant authorities and institutions such as the Musasa Project for psychosocial support and trauma healing. The training also emphasizes the role of traditional leaders in reporting cases to police, supporting investigations, and ensuring perpetrators, including those facilitating early marriages, are brought to justice.

MWRAG stresses that while progress is being made, stronger collaboration among government, law enforcement, civil society, and religious leaders is essential. The organisation calls for urgent, coordinated interventions in high-risk areas to protect women and girls and ensure justice and dignity for survivors.