Women politicians and activists in Zimbabwe are facing a torrent of gender-based violence, both online and off, in the build-up to next year’s general election.
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a huge problem in this deeply conservative country, affecting the lives of millions. One in three women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence, and one in four have experienced sexual violence, according to the 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey.
It’s a particular problem in the political arena, where many male politicians commonly use SGBV in an attempt to tame and control women. Zimbabwean society has normalised the weaponisation of violence to silence women who are viewed as too politically opinionated. Women who are bold enough to speak truth to power, who are trying to close the gender gap in politics, are enormously vulnerable to this kind of behaviour.
