ROGUE YOUTHS TARGET AND RAPE ELDERLY WOMEN

A network of rogue youths in the Chirau area of Zvimba has been sneaking into homes of elderly women and raping them in an orgy of violence which has left this otherwise sleepy area in shock.

This was revealed by Chief Chirau during a VIDCO meeting held at Kawondera Primary School.

The meeting was organised by the District Development Coordinator’s office.

Chief Chirau confirmed to H-Metro that most of these attacks were being conducted by some rogue youths who would be under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

“It’s true, it’s happening under my area of jurisdiction .

“Young people are getting drunk at traditional beer fests and, in their drunken stupor, they are sneaking into the homes of elderly people and shamelessly raping them .

“It is very sad, indeed, to inflict such trauma on a helplessly elderly person,” he said.

Chief Chirau said plans were underway to stop the evening traditional beer fests in the Chirau area.

“The source of the problem is at these fests where drug and alcohol abuse is rampant,” said Chief Chirau.

“These beer fests are held in the evening and run late into the night and the drunken young men terrorise and rape the elderly people, who would have retired to bed.

“Zvirikundirwadza zvikuru samambo.”

He has visited some of the victims at their homes.

“I visited some of the victims and they are still traumatised and cannot narrate what they went through.

“Some would just cry endlessly.”

The National Aids Council District Aids Coordinator for Zvimba district, Douglas Mwinga, said NAC was working in partnership with the rural local authority and advocating for the support from the local leaders in terms of addressing issues to do with drug and substance abuse, HIV and AIDS, as well as the school drop-outs in the district.

“As NAC, this year, we are going to support 1000 girl learners who dropped out of school or who are on the verge of dropping out of school, and all those who are having problems in terms of paying their school fees, in an effort to actually alleviate or address the issue of these young girls indulging in risky behaviour that ends up having them infected with HIV.

“So we are going to be supporting 1000 learners from 55 schools in the Zvimba district, 22 primary schools and 33 secondary schools.”

Mwinga said the programme also involves comprehensive sexual education. *_-B-Metro_*