Police fired rubber bullets
and teargas at pupils at a school in Swaziland /eSwatini when they protested about
sexual abuse on them by a teacher.
It happened at Mhubhe High
School at Ngculwini, 15 km from the main commercial city of Manzini, the Times of Swaziland reported on Thursday (9 May 2019).
The newspaper said, ‘The
pupils were protesting against one of their teachers, who occupies a senior
position in the school, whom they accused of sexually abusing female pupils in
the learning institution.’
The Times reported pupils damaged property at the school. The Times called it ‘Total mayhem!’ and
added, ‘Rubber bullets and teargas canisters flew in the air.’
The Swazi
Observer reported the school’s
administration block was vandalised and set on fire.
The school has been closed indefinitely.
The school has been closed indefinitely.
The pupils were protesting
against child sexual abuse, which is widespread in Swaziland. Swazi culture
condones sex abuse of children, especially young girls. Child rapists often
blame women for their action.
The State of the Swaziland Population report revealed that women who ‘sexually starve’
their husbands were blamed for the growing sexual abuse of children.
Men who were interviewed
during the making of the report said they ‘salivate’ over children wearing
skimpy clothes because their wives refused them sexual intercourse.
According to the Swaziland
Action Group against Abuse (SWAGAA), one in three girls and women between ages
13 and 24 had been a victim of sexual violence. Although rape is legally
defined as a crime, many men regarded it as a minor offense.
‘The number of reported
cases was likely far lower than the actual number of cases, as many cases were
dealt with at the family level. A sense of shame and helplessness often
inhibited women from reporting such crimes, particularly when incest was
involved,’ SWAGAA reported.
In Swaziland rape is
against the law but Swazi Law and Custom allows a husband to rape his wife. This is stated in the 317-page document The
Indigenous Law and Custom of the Kingdom of Swaziland.
See also
Swazi child rape is not unusual
‘Investigate prince for child sex’
http://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/investigate-prince-for-child-sex.html
‘Dad rapes daughter to test virginity’
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/05/dad-rapes-daughter-to-test-virginity.html
‘Dad rapes daughter to test virginity’
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