The petition, which is already in circulation, was revealed at a Gender Forum Discussion held at the Harare Book Café yesterday.
The discussion held under the theme “Are Women and Girls second class citizens?” was presented by Girls’ Legacy and Pamberi Trust to reflect on the recent sentencing of child sexual abusers and rapists. Deputy minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Jessie Majome and Padare Director, Kelvin Hazangwi attended the meeting.
Hazangwi, and the majority of participants, agreed that court judgements on rape cases were not standard and seemed dependent on the mood of the presiding magistrate or judge on the day of the trial.
“Though Padare is concerned about court sentencing in general, the situation of rape victims is worsened by continued categorisation around rape by the courts. Rape should be rape, period. There should be nothing like forced penetration against an adult’s will or rape of a minor who is mentally challenged after uninformed consent,” said Hazangwi.
The house agreed that the constitution and responsible ministries should treat all rape cases as serious violations of women’s rights which would attract maximum and deterring sentences.
Minister Majome said it was worrisome to note that although a rape case attracted a maximum death sentence, it tended to be less serious than stock theft before the courts. Majome said some lenient sentences against rapists were a slap in the face for victims. She recalled how the famous former regional Harare magistrate, Jacqueline Pratt, gave rapists heavy sentences.
“Zimbabwe must have no space for patriarchal application of the law,” she said.
Responding to questions about what her ministry had contributed towards the constitution making regarding rape, Majome said herself and ministries such as that for women affairs submitted meaningful submissions to Copac, which would change the government and people’s view of rape cases.
Post published in: News