Zimbabwe records rise in father-daughter abuse

Zimbabwe is witnessing a disturbing surge in sexual gender-based violence (SGBV), with fathers emerging as the primary perpetrators, authorities have warned.

Speaking at the Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) Action Indaba on Gender-Based Violence in Harare, Tracey Mundanga, Principal Public Prosecutor at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), described the trend as deeply worrying.

"The father-daughter rapes are on the increase, and father-son aggravated sexual assault cases are also rising," Mundanga said.

Superintendent Tanga of the Zimbabwe Republic Police's (ZRP) Victim Friendly Unit revealed that officers are documenting multiple cases daily. "We receive an average of five to six cases every day involving fathers, stepfathers, uncles, or relatives. Fathers have become the main perpetrators," she said, noting that underreporting remains a significant challenge due to fear, stigma, and cultural pressures.

The authorities are also alarmed by sibling incest and abuse by authority figures such as religious leaders and traditional healers. Mundanga highlighted that some siblings openly engage in sexual relationships, with cases where girls become pregnant.

Experts point to rising sexual offences among minors, partly driven by exposure to explicit content online and unsupervised mobile phone use.

While some countries in the region have recorded a decline in gender-based violence, Zimbabwe appears to be moving in the opposite direction. Vimbai Mutendereki, Executive Director of the Musasa Project, said that most survivors know their perpetrators. "In 80% of cases, it is someone intimately known to the survivor," she said.

Musasa has supported nearly 40,000 survivors annually over the past five years. "In 2024, we received 39,296 cases; in 2023, 40,675; and in 2022, 39,827," Mutendereki added, highlighting the persistent scale of the crisis.

A World Bank survey also revealed that harmful practices such as child marriage remain prevalent, with 33.7% of women marrying before 18 and 5.4% of men marrying before 15. Workplace harassment is also escalating, with over 90% of women reporting sexual harassment at work.

In 2021, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared GBV a national emergency, prompting the launch of the High-Level Political Compact on Addressing Gender-Based Violence and Harmful Practices (HLPC), running from 2021 to 2030. Mercy Jaravani, WCoZ National Coordinator, said the Indaba was an opportunity to reflect on progress and ongoing challenges.

Despite the HLPC, civil society leaders say the crisis continues to escalate. WCoZ Chairperson Muchanyara Cynthia Mukamuri emphasized the urgency: "Women suffer multiple problems, and today we are discussing GBV because of the escalating cases being reported, including femicide."

Stakeholders, including the NPA, ZRP, Zimbabwe Gender Commission, WCoZ, and other civil society partners, are calling for stronger accountability systems, enhanced community awareness, and reinforced survivor support mechanisms. Experts cite poverty, harmful cultural practices, weak law enforcement, and limited resources as ongoing drivers of the crisis.

The Action Indaba ran under the theme: "Pursuing the National Vision of a Gender-Based Violence-Free Society by 2030: The High-Level Political Compact on Ending GBV and Harmful Practices." As Zimbabwe works toward 2030, reversing the SGBV crisis remains a formidable challenge, with children, women, and families continuing to bear the heaviest burden.