YOUNG GIRL EXPLAINS HER ABDUCTION AND FORCED MARRIAGE HORROR
By Michael Gwarisa
“I was locked up for several nights and forced to have sex with her son, they hid me from the public until they forcibly moved me to Bulawayo.”
It takes bravery and courage beyond human imagination to stand in front of hundreds of dignitaries from within and outside Zimbabwe and share a horrendous story of how one was forced to have sex with a total stranger and later on become his wife outside her will.
For young Nicole Tatenda Mbewe (17), her life has been one living hell since the day she innocently went to a certain neighbor’s house just be taken advantage of.
Below is the story of how Nicole was abducted by a woman who later turned her into a sex toy for the her son.
“I am going to give an account of what actually transpired in my life before i fell pregnant. Before i got pregnant, i was at school doing form 3 and in our community there was this woman who was staying with her sister’s son.
All along, i was just friendly to them not knowing these people’s intentions towards me until one day. This woman called me to their house this other day saying she had some stuff that she had prepared for my old grandmother that she wanted me to collect.
Upon arrival at her house, she told me to go to the kitchen to collect the things which she said were on the table. When i got into the kitchen, she followed me and shut the door behind her and said there was some things she needed to discuss with me before i left.
Then i told her that i should go since i had to rush home but she insisted that i stay and informed me that my grandmother knew about my whereabouts. I insisted on leaving but she even got louder and told me that no one was going to hear me and no one cared.
She then called her son who was 23 years and told him that, “Son, here is the woman i have found for you, you can have her.” I was actually shocked to hear her say so and i knew something wrong was happening. I interrogated myself saying, what is it that i have done wrong for this woman really, why me?
I tried to leave but the woman insisted on me staying. She said my grandmother had told her that if i got home after dusk, she would chop my head off. I said it was better go home than for me to stay and do what i did not want.
I was locked in her house for two days, and i was forced to have sex with her son. She told me that i should not go back home anymore. I told her i would report her to the Police and she said i would not go to any police station as i was leaving for Bulawayo.
They managed to hide me from the public and no one saw me at their household until i went to Bulawayo.
When i arrived in Bulawayo, the woman pretended to be a nice person. She told me that my job there was to bear children for the family. I tried to look for my sister but i had no clue where she stayed in Bulawayo.
I stayed there for a year and gave birth to my kid (Daughter). Before i gave birth they would make me do these hard chores like cook, fetch firewood and clean after everyone.
When i would return from the fields, i would not rest, i would go straight into other chores regardless of me being heavily pregnant. I would work until everybody would have gone to sleep.
Our neighbors started complaining about the ill-treatment i was getting. One day, a kind neighbor called me when no one was around and asked me if i wanted to go home and i said yes. They asked if the people at my house would receive me and i said that was not be a problem as long as i was home.
They advised me to report the matter to the police and they volunteered to accompany me. I stayed for two weeks, pondering on how i would make such a move as the subject of returning home to my parents was a very sensitive one with the man i stayed with. He would beat me for merely asking when i would go home.
The neighbors came and picked me one day and took me to the police and the police helped. They went to the house and the mother was not there. When she returned, she pretended to be sick after seeing police, she told the police all i was saying were lies.
The police gave her a one month ultimatum to return me to my parents’ home or risk being locked out. When i returned from the police station, I took my child who was four moths then. I told them i was not going to go anywhere without my child. They insulted me saying i was cursed as i had failed to give them a son but a “Whore” (Daughter) instead. After tow weeks they gave me my child and i left.
When i got home, my grand-mom welcomed me and called my aunties in South Africa. My parents encouraged me to go back to study in school. Other parents in the community were against the idea, they said i was bad influence to their children and school was the last place i should be.
My grandmother decided that i should go back to school and she would take care of my baby. My Aunties helped me with the finances. My grandmother would encourage me to go to the clubs so that i would get help.
Attending school was not easy as i would be bullied by some students and teachers who would constantly remind me that school was no place for mothers.
From the day i shared this story with the public, i feel like there is a huge burden that has been lifted off me. i feel free.”
Today Nicole is studying in Hwange, Tete area and intends to pursue a carrier as a human and woman rights defender
