CASES of rape of the disabled, especially the visually impaired, are hardly prosecuted as the victims are not able to assist the police with regards to the look of the perpetrators, National Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped (Nascoh), director Farai Gasa Mukuta, has said.
Report by Feluna Nleya
Mukuta told NewsDay last week that there was need for the government to look into that problem and find ways of redressing it.
“The deaf are raped, and no report is given. The visually impaired, when they are raped, police have traditional questions they ask such as what the rapist was wearing, what colour of clothes was the rapist wearing and the visually impaired do not see and yet police continue to ask the same questions,” said Mukuta.
“When it goes to court the interpreters concentrate on what they traditionally know. It’s worse for the hearing impaired. We have seen many cases having been on remand for over 10 years or until the victim dies. This is a serious abuse to the visually and hearing impaired which our laws should address.”
Mukuta also said sexual abuse was rampant in children living with disabilities as they could not defend themselves due to their disability.
“Sexual abuse is rampant in the girl child living with disability. They are raped, impregnated and nothing is done about it,” said Mukuta.
“In the end to avoid pregnancies mothers give their children family planning tablets at a very young age and it is worrisome.”
