WE CANNOT TRUST FATHERS ANYMORE

Sir,

Fathers can no longer be entrusted with the custody of their daughters because they fall prey to their fathers who see them as sexual partners worthy of domestic rape.

The country has experienced an unprecedented trend in domestic rape cases perpetrated by fathers.
Domestic rape has often been committed by fathers under the guise of a virginity test before their daughters are wedded to their suitable partners.

The culprits, through their brutal sexual offences, seek to validate the fallacy that incest is normal as it brings good luck to their daughters. The escalating rate of domestic rape cases has been fuelled by certain families’ tendencies of protecting the perpetrator mainly because he is the breadwinner and financial pillar of the family.

So these family members cannot risk losing the financial backing from these culprits.
Families and relatives are regularly  encouraged to speak out against this evil because it inverts normal social order and violates family norms. The home setting is not longer a safe place for the upbringing of girl children because of immoral fathers who roam freely without facing the law for their criminal offences because they bribe their relatives to keep domestic rape cases under wraps.

The physical and mental trauma which comes back to haunt the victims may stifle their progress in life and slow down the development of their personalities.

The stigma attached to their personalities tends to have permanent effects on the girls which need intensive counseling to rebuild their characters.

A number of these cases remain unreported for fear of victimisation or because the victim does not want to risk being disowned and ostracised by the perpetrator or family. Some are coaxed into protecting and absolving the rapists.

The home has a legacy for domestic violence and abuse; hence this has provided the perpetrators a platform to perpetuate rape cases.
This is a serious cause for concern and the family is imputed to the escalation of this evil due to its voicelessness. Let’s all say no to domestic rape and report the perpetrators to the police.

S Shabangu
Swaziland

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