Rape Education Vital for Victims

PUBLIC education is essential in addressing the anomaly where only a few cases of sexual abuse are reported while many victims suffer in silence.

Chairperson of the Adult Rape Clinic (ARC) Dr Ginny Iliff said this on Monday during the handover of a cheque of more than $5 000 from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights in Harare.

Said Dr Ginny said: "There is need to educate people more on how to deal with sexual abuse so that they know what to do when they fall victim to rape.

"More women are raped everyday, but they fail to report because they do not understand or do not know what to do."

Rape Education Vital for Victims

ZLHR director Ms Irene Petras said the donation was the organisation's contribution to sustain the operations of the clinic.

"ZLHR handed over more than $5 000 to Adult Rape Clinic as part of the country's leading legal defence group's contribution to sustain the operations of the essential medical facility," she said.

"A total of $5 672,30 was raised by ZLHR during a sponsored walk held on Friday 22 April 2016 as part of festivities lined up this year to commemorate the human rights organisation's 20th anniversary since it was established in 1996."
Ms Petras said ZLHR supported ARC because it has been struggling to secure core funding and had been considering to shut down.

"We are convinced that these proceeds will contribute to ARC's tireless efforts to provide necessary psychological support that helps restore the confidence and dignity of victims and survivors."

ARC project manager Ms Magna Kurangwa said cases of rape are still under reported, regardless of the education people get.