Staff Writer
A total 3,175 Sexual Violence criminal offenses were recorded between October and December 2022, according to latest data from Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency Crime Situation Report.
According to the report Bulawayo has the highest crime rate in Zimbabwe having recorded 3,134.5 criminal offenses in the last quarter against a national crime prevalence rate of 1,370.5.
Harare follows closely with 2,116.9 while Mat South had 1,687.5, Masvingo 1.359.2, Midlands 1,343.1, Mashonaland West 1, 303.9, Mat North 1,214.1, Mash Central 1,006.4, Mash East 933.6 and Manicaland 564.3.
The report also indicates that criminal offenses involving assault and threats were the most frequent of the acts causing harm or intending to cause harm to the person.
The rate for assaults and threats stood at 180.5 per 100,000 people.
The data was collected from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Crime Report and Disposal System.
Zimstat Director General, Mr Taguma Mahonde, said there was a 12 percent increase in recorded criminal offenses in the last quarter of 2022.
In terms of Sexual Violence offences, 3175 cases were recorded during the period Oct to Dece 2022, representing a crime rate of 20.9 per 100,000 population,” Mr Mahonde said.
The number of recorded offices increased by 12 percent from 185,660 recorded in the 3rd Quarter to 208,027 recorded in the 4th Quarter.”
The latest affirms the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) findings where the gathered that at least 22 women are raped daily in Zimbabwe with an average of one rape taking place per 75 minutes translating to an average of 646 women being violated each month.
Cases of Sexual Violence nature have been on the increase in Zimbabwe especially during and the COVID-19 crises.
Zimbabwe’s national GBV Hotline, run by Musasa – an organisation dealing with issues of violence against women and girls and providing relief to survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) indicated that they recorded more than 6,800 GBV related calls from the beginning of the lockdown on 30 March 2020 until the end of December 2020, with an overall average increase of over 40 percent compared to the pre-lockdown trends. About 94 per cent of the calls are from women.
A 2019 Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) national survey found that 9% of girls and 1% of boys experience any form of sexual violence, with 5% of girls experiencing pressured or forced sex.
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