"Steve Hayes" <hayesmstw@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:40f75872.227197936@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 16:08:52 -0700, "S. L'Gree"
<put_your_b@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> wrote:
>
> >AIDS cure beliefs fuel child rape
> >
> >By Shapi Shacinda
> >
> >LUSAKA (Reuters) - A myth is fuelling a heinous crime across southern
> >Africa.
> >
> >It goes like this: if you want to succeed at work or cure yourself of
> >AIDS, you need to have *** with a minor or one of your own children.
> >
> >The result has been a surge in re****ted cases of child rape,
> >particularly in Zambia, a scourge that has shaken this deeply
> >Christian country of 10 million people to its core.
> >
> >About one in five Zambian adults has the HIV virus that leads to AIDS;
> >around 22 million people in the whole southern African region are
> >infected.
> >
> >Almost every day, Zambian newspapers carry chilling tales of child
> >rape -- tales that are depressingly familiar to readers of the South
> >African press, where the only consolation may lie in the fact that
> >they are not quite so frequent.
> >
> >Zambian Vice President Nevers Mumba says the crime has become a
> >serious problem, with more than 400 cases recorded between January and
> >June 2003, up from 238 in the same period last year.
> >
> >TRADITIONAL HEALERS BLAMED
> >
> >Some blame traditional healers, whom most people turn to for medical
> >advice, not least because so few can afford a doctor.
> >
> >"Traditional healers are misleading some rapists that HIV infection
> >can be reversed if a man has *** with a minor...it is a tragedy and
> >something that is endangering the lives of our children," said Ireen
> >Nkunda, a counsellor for abused children at a Lusaka-based Young Women
> >Christian Association (YWCA).
> >
> >Nkunda said the YWCA handled 110 cases of child rape between January
> >and September of this year.
> >
> >"Once we had a case of a father who raped his one-and-half-year-old
> >baby," she said.
> >
> >Rodwell Vongo, head of the Traditional Healers Association of Zambia,
> >denies any wrong-doing by his members.
> >
> >"Our members cannot mislead people in such a manner...we have been
> >educating them not to mislead people that they can cure AIDS," Vongo
> >said.
> >
> >Nkunda said a study had found that some men rape their children after
> >visiting traditional healers who advise them to have *** with a
> >daughter or young female relative to boost profits in their
> >businesses.
> >
> >"Some men also believe that they will get promoted at their place of
> >work if they have *** with a minor...our children are not safe because
> >rapists are now within our families," she said.
> >
> >In September, the story of an 11-year-old girl who died after being
> >raped repeatedly by her half-brother prompted a national awakening on
> >the subject.
> >
> >Police spokeswoman Brenda Muntemba blamed "weak laws" for the
> >increasing child rape cases.
> >
> >"There is nothing the police can do if an offender is arrested and
> >appears before court where he is then given bail. Our court system and
> >even the prisons (service) need serious reforms," Muntemba said.
>
> I wonder if this evidence is anecdotal?
>
> Perhaps someone needs to do a statistical study.
>
> And surely what is needed is not new legislation, but the application of
> existing laws -- or are there places where rape is legal?
We know that it happens here. It is also highly unlikely that any sort of
worthwhile statistical study can be achieved. Firstly, all cases would
have
to be re****ted and I would doubt that any such possibility exists.
Secondly,
if such a study was possible and it became evident that the numbers
involved
were large, our Government would make sure that no final re****t was ever
published because it would be too embarrassing.
Nevertheless, the anecdotal evidence, sup****ted by a number of cases which
have come before the courts - I think that the case a little while ago in
the Northern Province caused a measure of concern - which indicates that
the
practice is being adopted and that it still continues.
I think that the new laws which the concerned persons in Zambia are
suggesting have to do with the question of bail and the need to define
child
rape separately from the general understanding of the term.
Mark Richardson
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