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| Chido Zikiti |
Felix Matasva
MUTARE –
A 20-year-old Gender Based Violence (GBV) survivor who suffered a lot of abuse
from her brutal husband and mother-in-law has finally broken the silence by
reporting her case to Zimunya Police Station after being severely injured.
This
emerged at St Johns Anglican Cathedral on November 26 where Christian women
from districts of Manicaland province convened to commemorate 16 Days of
Activism Against Gender Based Violence.
The
commemoration was facilitated by Methodist Development and Relief Agency
(MeDRA) in partnership with Act Alliance Zimbabwe Forum and SIDE BY SIDE.
Chido
Zikiti (20) dropped out of school when she was in grade 7 at Chigodora Primary
School which is located less than 30 km from Mutare.
The
donor who was paying for her fees could no longer pay and this forced Chido out
of school at a very young age.
She
became an orphan at 12 years of age and started working as a maid since she had
no one to provide for her.
After
being impregnated at the age of 17 years, Chido was married off to an abusive man
with whom she led a miserable life.
“I
was in a terrible marriage which was so painful. I had no peace and harmony
since my husband and mother- in-law inflicted a lot of pain to me on a daily
basis.
“My
husband on several times brought his girlfriend into our bedroom and I was beaten
whenever I asked him about what was happening. My mother-in-law, my husband and
his aunties would always find fault with me.
“They
never minded that I was still nursing wounds I sustained as I delivered my baby
by Caesarean operation. I have never fully-recovered up to now because I still
feel the pain at the slightest change of weather,” said Chido.
She
said she finally made up her mind to quit after a violent domestic incident
which left her with internal injuries.
“Although
I was subjected to a lot of emotional and physical abuse, I remained docile
with the hope that the marriage will finally work out. Every day I nursed up my
husband’s brother who had a disability but they never appreciated it.
“I
decided to take a stand and speak out after my mother-in-law’s two sisters
kicked me all over the body. I was badly injured inside my body and I decide to
leave,” she said.
Chido went to receive treatment while at own
parents’ home but she is now renting a room in Zimunya because her own brother
did not approve of her leaving her abusive husband.
She
makes some money by crushing huge rocks into quarry which she then sell to
people with building projects which are becoming fewer due to the rains.
“I
produce concrete worth US$30 on a monthly basis but it’s not enough since I
need to pay rent as well as buy food and child’s wear. I have to balance all my
expenses on that very small budget.
“My
aunt agreed to stay with the child to give me a chance to work but my former
husband does not provide anything,” she said.
Speaking
during the event, Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) Pastor Edson Mukaro said the church
had a responsibility to fight abuse, hold abusers accountable and help
survivors of GBV.
“It
is one of the critical roles the of church to hold perpetrators of violence
accountable for their actions. It is also our responsibility as followers of Christ
to help and support survivors of GBV rather than stigmatize them,” said
Mukaro.
MeDRA
official Mrs Chikara implored urged women to change cultural practices that
give rise to gender discrimination and GBV.
“We
must challenge cultural practices that discriminate people based on gender. Gender
roles change with time and as church women, we can bring that change for the
good of our society. We must not allow forced wife inheritance and sacrificing
the girl child to appease avenging spirits,” said Chikara.
The
16 Days of Activisim against Gender Based Violence are observed yearly from
November 25 to December 10 to help highlight that problem.
This
year, the campaign is running under the global theme dubbed Orange the World:
Fund, Respond, Collect and Prevent.
