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Child abuse by teachers in Zimbabwe
Analysis of 246 reported cases of abuse by teachers in secondary schools in Zimbabwe, 1990 to 1997, identified 212 cases of sexual abuse, 33 cases of physical abuse and one case of emotional abuse.
Sexual abuse - Most sexual abuse perpetrators (99.1 percent) were male. 69.3 percent were under 30 years old, 29.7 percent were 30-40, 1 percent was over 40. Furthermore 81.6 percent of perpetrators were trained teachers. 65.6 percent of perpetrators had had ‘sexual intercourse’ with their pupils and other abuses include writing love letters, fondling (breasts, buttocks, thighs, private parts), kissing or hugging, rape, attempted rape, and showing pornographic material to a pupil.
Physical Abuse - Analysis of the 33 cases shows that most perpetrators (94.1 percent) were male and trained. Most pupils (75.8 percent) had been caned, beaten, whipped, or hit without the head teacher’s authority. Others had been slapped, punched, and one pupil was kicked. The study found that 80 percent of the pupils caned, beaten, whipped or hit were male. Although corporal punishment of female pupils is banned it is clear that it is used on both sexes. All pupils punched or kicked by perpetrators were male whilst female pupils were slapped or caned.
Emotional Abuse - One case of emotional abuse was reported: a male teacher had made male and female pupils kneel on hot cement surfaces without shoes and all had developed blisters on their feet.
Source(s):
Insights special isssue - Conspiracy of silence? Stamping out abuse in
African schools Full document.
id21 Research Highlight: 16 July 2001
Further Information:
Almon Shumba
Department of Educational Foundations
University of Botswana
Post bag UB 00702
Gabarone
Botswana
Contact the contributor: shumbaaeducation@mopipi.ub.bw
Other related links:
'Tackling taboos: abuse of girls in Zimbabwean schools'
Search Girls' Education for 'Preliminary Investigation of the Abuse of
Girls in Zimbabwean Junior Secondary Schools'
'Sexual Harassment – A Major Hindrance to Learning' from FAWE
Search Panos for 'Tested To Their Limit- Sexual harassment in schools and
educational institutions in Kenya'
UNESCO's Office for Asia and the Pacific has excellent links on adolescent
sexual health
'Premarital sex and school dropout in Kenya: can schools make a
difference?'
