REFORMED SEX OFFENDER COUNSELS MEN TO DESIST FROM ENGAGING IN SGBV, HAILS WLSA FOR SPEAKING AGAINST SGBV

"I was jailed in 1999  for raping an 18-year-old woman," recalled Moses Tembo who is now a reformed character, residing in Luangwa district of Lusaka province.

In Zambia, rape carries a  minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life imprisonment.

Moses who at the time of the offence was 36 years old narrated that, "I proposed to the woman who after she accepted we went for a drinking spree and later I forced  myself on her."

He said later the victim [of rape case] reported him to the police and the matter was taken to courts of law on the final determination of the matter he was found guilty and was imprisoned for 5 years. 

Moses who has now ventured into farming regrets that although he had only one child when he was imprisoned, life for his family was not easy after he was jailed as there was no one to provide for them.

From the time he was released from the prison, he said he has not only learnt lessons but also reformed and has been sensitising other men in the communities especially those with a habit of defiling children to avoid perpetrating GBV cases.

He believes, "it is better for a man to marry than defiling children or raping women. He notes that, even if she is above the age of 16,18 even 20, for as long as she has not agreed or given consent to have sex with you, you can be jailed."

Asked why he raped the woman, Moses who is now about 60 years old justified that ignorance lead him to commit the offences explaining that " he was not aware that when a man forces a woman to have sex with him it is a prosecutable offence. Now that I know that Rape is an offence, I can not repeat such a mistake."

"From 2001 till to date I have never committed any offence even just fighting with my fellow men because I have learnt that ignorance has no defence and women need to be respected," he said.

He also discouraged men from using traditional medicines to boost their sexual appetite saying such is what lead to some committing SGBV.

He further explained how he has benefited from Women and Law in Southern Africa community sensitisation programs.

"As Women and Law in Southern Africa, they must continue sensitising men on the dangers of SGBV so that the cases can come down. If they relent some men will continue engaging in the vice with impunity and cases of GBV will continue going up (According to the Zambia Police Service, 26,370 cases of Gender-Based Violence were reported Countrywide during the year 2020 compared to 2019 in which 25,121 were recorded, showing an increase of 1,249 cases translating to a 05% increase. The 2020 Gender-Based Violence disaggregated data indicates that 6,415 juvenile victims were abused countrywide representing 24% of all the victims of Gender-Based Violence.The 2020 GBV Crime Report shows that 3,446 Sexual Offenses were recorded representing 13% of all the reported cases. Out of these, 2,665 victims were female juveniles translating to 77%, 708 victims were female adult victims translating to 21%, 59 victims were male juvenile victims translating to 02%, whilst 14 victims were male adults.) which he said is a menace to society.

And Moses explained that during one of the community sensitisations on SGBVs by WLSA, he felt the urge to come out in the open and give a testimony of what he did in the past so that others, could learn from it.

"I want to sincerely commend and thank WLSA for their work of promoting girl's and women's right. The organisation need to be supported and they should continue with their community sensitisation on these pertinent issues affecting the society today," he said.

And Women and Law in Southern Africa National Director, Maureen Samulela Tresha expressed gratitude that they are some GBV perpetrators like Moses that have reformed and are sensitising others on the dangers of engaging in GBV and she has since encouraged them to continue being the voice of reason by discouraging would-be offenders of the vice.

And Mrs Tresha has urged victims of Sexual Gender-Based Violence to resist the temptation of withdrawing cases that are before the courts of law if the vice is to be curtailed.

Mrs Tresha is  however concerned that some [SGBV] cases do not see the light of the day in the courts of law because they are withdrawn."

She has also " encouraged victims of SGBV to report  perpetrators to [relevant authorities ]regardless of their status in the family or society so that they are punished for their wrong actions."