COVID-19 pandemic leaves legacy of Gender Based Violence 

Martha Leboho

When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in Zimbabwe, Netsai (not her real name) did not imagine that the pandemic would plunge  her family into physical and emotional distress. 

COVID-19 lockdowns put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 had already negatively affected the family’s finances as her husband working in Masvingo town was  unable to send money or groceries back home to Zaka for  weeks. 

With the situation now unbearable, the mother of four decided to visit her husband in Masvingo. 

“When I arrived at his place of residence, I found out that he was now staying with another woman. I couldn’t control my temper and I slapped his girlfriend,” says Netsai as she reflects on that day. 

“To my surprise,” she adds, “he sided with his girlfriend, assaulted me, burnt my clothes and those of my 3-month-old baby,” she said.

When Netsai  reported the incident  at the police station, she was told that people were restricted from unnecessary movements during lockdown and was ordered to go and reconcile with her husband. 

Upon her return to her husband’s place of residence, she found the house empty as her husband had moved out. 

Netsai’s story is one of many stories of women who have had to bear the brunt of Gender Based Violence (GBV) amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. 

A situational update by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted that cases of GBV in Zimbabwe went up by 200% during the lockdown period in 2020.   

Further, a report published by Musasa Project, an organisation that works with men and women affected by GBV, noted that lockdowns made it difficult for GBV victims to access services due transport challenges. 

“Service providers reported that survivors were not able to come to clinics to report rape because of the restriction of movement. This meant that many women reported rape more than 72 hours after the incident, which has implications in the collection of evidence, often because they could not travel to the police station on time,” read the report. 

“Survivors also explained that the numerous roadblocks caused a lot of challenges…in some instances they were turned back at roadblocks. Survivors reported having to walk long distances to access services because there was no public transport,” the report continued.

This meant that many GBV cases went unreported with victims suffering in silence. 

It is worrisome that GBV cases increased at a time where families were fighting a pandemic,” said Tavagwisa Magura, Chief of Chivi. 

“The rural areas have the most significant number of GBV cases and traditional leaders are raising awareness to villagers to desist from GBV and promote a peaceful community,” he said.

Even though lockdowns were eased months ago, statistics from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) indicate that GBV cases have gone up with Masvingo Province recording 97 juvenile rape cases in 2022 compared to 81 last year. 

This year, 38 rape cases involving adults have been recorded compared to 31 last year, while 214 cases of domestic violence have been recorded this year compared to 131 cases last year. 

For Moreblessing Manenji, Women Coalition of Zimbabwe(WCoZ) Chairperson, GBV has become a pandemic within another pandemic. 

She says  lockdowns led to women in Masvingo province suffering a double tragedy witnessed by the increased cases of GBV. 

“COVID-19 brought untold suffering to general populace, but to women and girls it was a double tragedy to their lives, as there was a general increase in GBV as well as high crime rates,” she says. 

She observes that physical violence against women became prevalent during the lockdown period with intimate partners violence being the most common. 

“Forced lockdowns and movement restrictions also meant that women suffering GBV became trapped at home with their abusers at a time where support services were inaccessible,” she Manenji.

“In crises or emergency situations the government should adopt gendered approaches and treat GBV as an emergency and provide necessities to guard against distress. The government should also provide mobile services to bring essential GBV services closer to those in need in remote and hard to reach areas,” she added.

Zimbabwe Human Rights Lawyer Martin Mureri of Matutu and Mureri Legal practitioners called for  police to speed up investigations when perpetrators are arrested in order to send a warning to the public that GBV is a serious offence. 

“In order to curb the upsurge, we urge the government through Zimbabwe Republic Police to speed up investigations when perpetrators are arrested so that it serves as a warning to the public that GBV is a serious offence,” says Mureri.

“Let’s fight GBV,” says Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Provincial Head Joseph Mupinga

“It comes in many forms like emotional, economic, sexual, verbal and physical abuse and it hinders us from concentrating on economic development. It affects family life and disturbs children in their studies seeing their parents fighting day and night,” he urges.