FATHER RAPES HIS OWN DAUGHTER

BY ASHITON CHAWIRA AND SARAH MUSONZA

In a shocking incident that left the Dzandura community in Seke District shell shocked, a middle-aged man, raped his 12 year – old daughter who had been left under his care by her mother who had gone to work at a nearby farm.

One of the villagers who refused to be named for fear of victimisation told the Fokas reporter that because of this incident, the girl who was now in her final year of her primary level, had to drop out of school.

She became a victim of sexual abuse since 2008 up until a few months ago when she fell sick and finally had the guts to report the matter to her mother.

It is believed after raping her almost on a daily basis, the father would threaten her with death if she ever told anybody about the different rape incidences.

‘This man developed a habit of raping his daughter almost everyday. He took advantage since he used to spend more time with the children alone. One day he sent his young daughter to fetch water so that he could rape his daughter without disturbance,” said one of the villagers.

“When she came back, she saw her father coming out of the bedroom followed by her older sister who was looking unhappy and withdrawn,” she added.

She added that when the mother came back from work, her daughter told her that she was very sick and was in pain, but did not divulge the nature of her sickness to her since she was afraid.

“The abused child could no longer contain the pain anymore,” the villager added.

The sick child was then taken to the clinic for treatment by her disturbed mother and the child then reported the sexual abuse by her father to the nurse who attended to her and narrated everything that had transpired.

The nurse discovered that the child had developed sores on her private parts and puss was coming out of them. It is believed the child contracted a sexual transmitted infection as a result of the continued abuse.

The perpetrator was arrested after the case was reported to the police. The parents of the child were unaware when the police arrived at the clinic.

The mother of the child could not contain shock; hence she collapsed when her husband was picked up by the Police.

Some woman who also preferred anonymity said the child suffers some form of mental sickness or instability since the incident. She is withdrawn and does not feel comfortable with mixing and mingling with her age mates or other children.

Mrs. Winnet Manyere, one of the FAMWZ programme front runners in Seke castigated fathers who abuse their children and said stern sentences should be given to such offenders since they are a threat to the community.

“It is every child’s rights to grow up with their parents in a good manner and be protected from diseases especially in light of the deadly HIV and AIDS pandemic,” Manyere said.