MUTARE - Cases of child abuse are increasing at an alarming rate in the province, Victim Friendly Court has revealed.Rape cases involving adults increased by five per cent, whilst rape cases involving minors rose by 14 per cent.
VFC has called upon on citizens to join hands to protect and promote childrens rights, and has partnered the Department of Social Welfare, Zimbabwe Republic Police, Department of Public Prosecutions, the Law Society of Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Health, members of the judiciary and child welfare orgaisations who provide support and counselling to victims of sexual abuse.
VFC spokesperson, Christopher Muyenuwa said: The objective of this joint venture is to create a coherent, complementary, multi-sectoral plan to assist victims of sexual abuse.
Muyenuwa said to reduce cases of child abuse, members of the public needed to act as watchdogs in their communities and should report any case of abuse to the police. He encouraged people not to protect perpetrators of child abuse.
Please report such culprits to police. Parents and guardians should teach their children to report any abuse, said Mayenuwa.
Fighting child abuse needs a collective effort by all stakeholders, he added, saying that the programme would spread it wings to rural areas.
Post published in: Politics