MANY women in Zimbabwe, who have been sexually abused by apostolic sect leaders are left nursing psychological injuries for the rest of their lives even if the perpetrators are locked up in prison.
BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
In a bid assist the rape victims within the apostolic sect, the United African Apostolic Faith Mission (UAAFM) Church has established the Second Home Trust, an organisation that will house and assists the victims in all aspects.
The church, led by United Kingdom-based bishop Jevasi Jabel Madzivire has begun constructing a state-of-the-art home at Masasa in Chihota, Mashonaland East Province which will be home to a number of rape victims by sect leaders as well as orphans.
Currently, workers have begun moulding bricks, while a fence has already been erected. The first block of dormitories will be complete by year end.
Madzivire said they will advocate for an end to sexual exploitation of apostolic sect rape victims.
“The Second Home is the agent for a better tomorrow for orphans and rape victims. With the victims of rape and sexual exploitation in the apostolic sect we would like to see an end to the practice .The trust will be helping victims to get the best available resources, medical legal and spiritual assistance to overcome the stress and shame bestowed on them,” he said.
He added that to achieve positive results, the trust will engage all church leaders and prophets in fighting against rape and abuse of women and young girls. He also said the rape victims will receive training so that their living testimonies become good teaching among others.
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The local courts have seen an influx of cases involving rape by apostolic sect leaders who most of them are incarcerated after convicted, but little is being done to the victims who are often to nurse both physical and psychological effects on their own.
Most of the rape victims approach sect leaders for spiritual healing and counselling before sexually abused, according to Madzivire.
Second Home Trust board chairperson Lumbetani Makondo said they will be working with a number of sect leaders as well as the mother body, Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ), to provide them with rape victims for rehabilitation.
“It might seem difficulty how we are going to found the rape victims; however we are working closely with ACCZ, church leaders and the women themselves to assist us in identifying victims who will come to the home in Chihota for rehabilitation. The centre will be a second home to them where they will be counselled and assisted to start afresh,” she said.
She added that the trust has engaged legal, medical and counselling practitioners.
“It doesn’t make any sense that after the culprit is jailed, the victim is left traumatised and nothing is being done to mend her broken life. There is need to counsel her as well as assisting her on how to carry on with life. Imagine the feeling after being raped, let alone being left pregnant and how the society will embrace the victim’s plight.
“For example, when Madzibaba Nzira was released, there was jubilation by sect members who were happy that their leader was back. But what about the rape victims, what did the member do in order to comfort and assist them? They were ignored and neglected. The second Home trust will accommodate such victims for the better of their lives,” said Lumbetani.
Godfrey Nzira was convicted of raping seven women in 2003, but was however, controversially pardoned by President Robert Mugabe and was released on January 19, 2011. He was a feared leader of the Johanne Masowe WeChishanu.
Lumbetani said the construction of the home is being funded by money being mobilized by UAAFM through their various projects.
“We are into poultry and we also do horticulture with the help of Bishop Madzivire who offered us some pieces of land to farm. In Masembura we have a three hectare land that we put peas while in Gokwe we are also doing something on the 11 hectare piece of land. All is being done to raise fund. We also sell goods at apostolic sect gatherings to raise the funds,” she said.
Meanwhile, ACCZ has been hailed for its efforts to curb sexual abuse of women across its members. Few years ago, popular Budiriro prophet Ishmael Chokurongerwa well-known as Madzibaba Ishmael had his sect banned for allegedly abusing women among other accusations.
The second Home Trust will also be taking care of the child headed families through offering them shelter, paying school fees and teaching them technical skills like dressmaking, carpentry and baking among others.
Charlene Chekenya, the director of women rights pressure group Stand, hailed said the establishment of a centre to help rape victims is a noble idea and should be supported at all cost.
“Over the years, there have been alarming rates of child marriages by sect leaders all in the name of religion. Young girls who cannot legally consent to sexual intimacy are being taken in for marriage, an undefiable act of rape of the minor. This is an act of inhumanity as the girl is robbed not only of her childhood, but also of a future,” she said.
