MPs speaking at a training workshop held by the Women Coalition of Zimbabwe concurred that rape cases had surged, hence the need to tame the trend.
Gokwe MP, Dorothy Mhangamhi of Zanu (PF), noted that in her constituency, cases of the crime increased each time farmers gathered cotton produce from their fields.
“It is saddening to note that while stock theft victims have seemingly been met with stiffer sentences based on the cost of each beast they will have stolen, it has not been the case with rape. If stealing a single beast could cost one about six years, then rape victims should receive tens of years for committing this terrible crime,” she said.
Kwekwe Central MP, Blessing Chebundo of MDC-T, echoed same sentiments.
“The value of a single woman can by no means be estimated. Women are important in their own unique way and violation against their rights should be dealt with no mercy for the perpetrators,” he said.
Arnold Sululu, the MP for Silobela also weighed in, saying fear of committing the crime would only be achieved if harder penalties were passed on rape victims.
Sentiments by the legislators come at a time when a recent police report indicated that rape crimes was on the increase in Silobela, Zhombe and Gokwe.
Generally the province registered an increase of 10% of crimes in 2010 when compared to 2009.
Post published in: News