Zimbabwe’s Economic Crisis Fuels Dependency Syndrome in Young Women: A Catalyst for GBV

 

By Ngonidzashe Emmanuel Chikandiwa and Mitchel Ngaavongwe Chimbga

Brenda, not her real name, sits in a crowded café, her eyes fixed on the floor as she recounts her story. “I had to drop out of university twice due to unaffordable fees,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. “My financially insecure background, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, left my parents unable to support me.”

 

Desperate to continue her education, Brenda found herself in a relationship with a wealthy older man who promised financial support. However, the relationship was marked by violence and abuse, trapping Brenda. “I felt obligated to stay with him until I graduated,” she says, her eyes welling up with tears. “I believed I had no other choice.”

 

Kelly, a local university student, shares a similar story. “Although we sometimes share bills, he has the upper hand, covering our rent and other necessities,” she says, describing her cohabitation with a student boyfriend two years her senior. Kelly speaks of the relationship’s toxic control. “He frequently erupts into violent tantrums and demands access to my phone and whereabouts, leaving me little time to study or socialize.”

 

Matilda,also not her real name, who works at a boutique in downtown Harare to support her siblings and unemployed single mother, narrates a similar ordeal. “I spent his money, and even if he physically assaults me, I must tolerate it, because I cannot sustain my family on my meager salary.”

 

These young women’s stories are not isolated incidents. Many young women in Zimbabwe, whether at colleges and universities or in the workforce, face similar challenges, forced to rely on older, wealthier men for financial support. The country’s economic crisis, characterized by hyperinflation, unemployment, and poverty, has created a perfect storm that perpetuates dependency and abuse.There is surging dependency syndrome amid the economic turmoil, that continues to see more young women relying on others, often men, for financial support. This phenomenon has created a culture of entitlement among older men, who feel justified in exerting physical, emotional, and sexual control over their partners.

 

With limited employment opportunities and rising costs of living, there are more case of long-term partnerships or transactional sex for survival. These relationships inevitably create a deep-rooted dependency, leaving the young women in vulnerable positions where their autonomy is compromised.

 

Studies have found that over time, this reliance fosters an unhealthy power dynamic, where the lack of financial independence makes it difficult for women to break free from the control of their partners. Sadly, this dependency often leads to a vicious cycle of gender-based violence (GBV), where women may endure emotional, physical, or sexual abuse simply to maintain their lifestyle.

 

The fear of losing their source of income, combined with limited options for self-sustenance, traps many Zimbabwean young women in abusive relationships. The consequences are dire, and statistics revealing a disturbing trend.

 

According to recent statistics, Zimbabwe recorded 3,562 cases of sexual violence between January and March 2024. In 2023, the nation recorded a staggering 16,444 cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and 31 deaths, consisting mainly of young women with men cited as the main perpetrators. The year before, in 2022, 26 females were killed by their partners.In addition to these depressing statistics, there are numerous cases where young women have reportedly been killed by their financially supporting boyfriends. Prominent among these cases was the tragic incident in 2022, where Tafadzwa Murengwa, a dealer at the former Ximex Mall in Harare, shot and killed his ex-girlfriend, accused her of cheating and spending his money, highlighting the toxic dynamics of financial support and control. Before killing himself, Murengwa took to social media to lament how he had wasted almost US$3,000 and expensive watches and a car trying to reconcile with his ex-girlfriend, whom he had abused multiple times and had served him with a protection order for emotional and physical abuse. This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of dependency syndrome and the need for urgent action to address this issue.

 

At tertiary many young women share Kelly’s story ,they continue to resort to cohabitation as a survival plan.Research consistently shows that women in cohabiting relationships are disproportionately affected by GBV. Cohabiting female students are subjugated in terms of expressing their rights to negotiate healthier relationships, safe sex, and are physically abused when refusing to terminate pregnancies. A 2017 study conducted at a University in Bulawayo found that 49% of women students living in cohabitation reported high incidences of intimate partner violence. The researchers posited that intergenerational sex (sexual relationships with older men) and the quest to solve financial needs exacerbated GBV in young women and there is need for practical solutions. It is imperative that Zimbabwe addresses the root causes of gender-based violence, including economic inequality and societal norms that perpetuate the oppression of women.

 

But for now ,the economic crisis in Zimbabwe persists, the vulnerability of young women like Kelly intensifies.The desperation for survival, coupled with the societal pressures of a patriarchal system, forces many into a cycle of dependency and abuse. The once-promising futures of these young women are now marred by the scars of exploitation and violence.Their stories serve as a haunting reminder of the urgent need for systemic change.Only then can young women like Brenda and Matilda break free from the shackles of abuse and forge a brighter future for themselves.