News / Local
MDC youths in Bulawayo condemn 'miniskirt' attacks
22 Dec 2014 at 16:18hrs | Views
MDC youths in Bulawayo have called on authorities to take action on commuter omnibus drivers and conductors who abuse and harass women at various termini throughout the country.
This comes on the backdrop of a video that went viral showing an attack of a woman who was wearing a dress above her knees by kombi conductors commonly known as hwindis in one of Harare's terminus points.
Provincial Secretary for MDC Bulawayo Youth Assembly, Minenhle Gumede, said society must speak against such forms of abuse that violate women's dignity.
She said although this particular incident in Harare is not an isolated incident.
"It was imperative to put pen to paper to raise the voice of the girl child by speaking out against the victimisation and sexual harassment perpetrated recently towards a young woman in Harare who was stripped in broad daylight by touts and was video taped in the process.
"The aim is to express the fears we have as women as violence continues to prevail and becomes widespread, despite international awareness of this problem and promises by nations including our own to fight violence against women,"she said.
Gumede pointed out women continued to suffer in various forms of abuse, which was defeating the purpose of ubuntu while authorities took their time in arresting perpetrators.
"We continue daily to suffer from it at the hands of the communities to which we belong as well as from our own families and state agents. There is a cavalier attitude towards taking responsibility, many a times there are attempts to justify, ignore or deny this problem. We see the perpetrators often aided to escape punishment and the victims receiving no reparation," she said.
The MDC youth official reflected that if such abuse was left unattended, this problem would outgrow society and become an uncontrollable habit.
"There is dire need to thus consider for the overall good of all the sort of legacy we wish to leave behind for future generations. There is need to alter and condemn in the strongest terms certain social attitudes in our communities that tolerate and condone violence of this nature," Gumede said.
She added in turn women should also be educated on their legal rights and know they are entitled to state protection.
"The entire community has to be enlightened on the benefits of affording better protection towards women…Notably violence comes in many forms, it can be physical, sexual or psychological.
"To date it is estimated that one in three women in the world will suffer or has suffered some form of violence in their lifetime, Africa being the hardest hit due to the quagmire of oppressive cultures that are still in practice today as well as the weak mechanisms put in place to tackle and prevent gender based violence. The struggle against violence must not be seen as just a women's issue, it is a responsibility to us all and the time for complacency and excuses must come to an end," said the MDC youth official.
Courtesy of
This comes on the backdrop of a video that went viral showing an attack of a woman who was wearing a dress above her knees by kombi conductors commonly known as hwindis in one of Harare's terminus points.
Provincial Secretary for MDC Bulawayo Youth Assembly, Minenhle Gumede, said society must speak against such forms of abuse that violate women's dignity.
She said although this particular incident in Harare is not an isolated incident.
"It was imperative to put pen to paper to raise the voice of the girl child by speaking out against the victimisation and sexual harassment perpetrated recently towards a young woman in Harare who was stripped in broad daylight by touts and was video taped in the process.
"The aim is to express the fears we have as women as violence continues to prevail and becomes widespread, despite international awareness of this problem and promises by nations including our own to fight violence against women,"she said.
Gumede pointed out women continued to suffer in various forms of abuse, which was defeating the purpose of ubuntu while authorities took their time in arresting perpetrators.
"We continue daily to suffer from it at the hands of the communities to which we belong as well as from our own families and state agents. There is a cavalier attitude towards taking responsibility, many a times there are attempts to justify, ignore or deny this problem. We see the perpetrators often aided to escape punishment and the victims receiving no reparation," she said.
The MDC youth official reflected that if such abuse was left unattended, this problem would outgrow society and become an uncontrollable habit.
"There is dire need to thus consider for the overall good of all the sort of legacy we wish to leave behind for future generations. There is need to alter and condemn in the strongest terms certain social attitudes in our communities that tolerate and condone violence of this nature," Gumede said.
She added in turn women should also be educated on their legal rights and know they are entitled to state protection.
"The entire community has to be enlightened on the benefits of affording better protection towards women…Notably violence comes in many forms, it can be physical, sexual or psychological.
"To date it is estimated that one in three women in the world will suffer or has suffered some form of violence in their lifetime, Africa being the hardest hit due to the quagmire of oppressive cultures that are still in practice today as well as the weak mechanisms put in place to tackle and prevent gender based violence. The struggle against violence must not be seen as just a women's issue, it is a responsibility to us all and the time for complacency and excuses must come to an end," said the MDC youth official.
Courtesy of
Source - Radio Dialodge
