From Catcalls to Crime: The Continuum of Violence We Ignore
- Nyasha B Dube
- Jan 29
- 3 min read
By Nyasha B Dube
The recent, horrifying case of a 13-year-old girl raped in a parked vehicle at Harare’s Rezende terminus forces us to ask a difficult question: Is justice truly served when only one man is arrested, while the hostile system that enabled his crime remains intact?
The news that Givemore Mutape, the man who raped the Grade 7 pupil, was arrested is a necessary, initial step towards accountability, although it took time for the arrest to be made. We commend the efforts that led to his capture. However, focusing solely on the perpetrator allows the true enablers of this violence, systemic neglect and the cultural normalization of public harassment, to escape scrutiny. This tragedy was not a single, isolated event; it was a devastating chain reaction that began with public intimidation.
The Crime of the Hostile Environment
The primary failure in this case belongs to the dozens of onlookers, the transport operators and the municipal authorities responsible for the Rezende terminus.
The young girl, navigating the crowded, chaotic hub, was reportedly subjected to mocking and relentless harassment by touts and conductors. Imagine that scene: a child, alone in a dense, intimidating public space, surrounded by loud, aggressive men whose job it is to ensure safe passage, yet who instead turned her into a target.
This harassment, this initial layer of public violence, served two purposes:
It Created Vulnerability: The environment was deliberately made hostile and unbearable, generating acute distress in the victim. The touts effectively pushed her away from the visibility of the main crowd, making her desperate for any perceived refuge.
It Provided Cover for the Predator: Givemore Mutape did not need to use brute force initially. He simply had to wait for the public environment to do his work for him. By feigning sympathy and offering a “safe space” from the touts’ harassment, a parked kombi, he exploited a vulnerability that society had manufactured.
This is a critical distinction: The touts' actions were not just minor annoyances; they were the precursor crime, an act of systemic gender-based violence that cleared the path for the ultimate sexual violence to occur.
The Illusion of Justice and the Culture of Impunity
We often equate justice with the closure of a court case and the jailing of a single criminal. But for GBV survivors, justice must be multi-layered.
While Mutape will face the consequences of his horrific actions, what happens to the touts and conductors who participated in the initial harassment?
Do they face charges for public disorder, indecent assault or contributing to the commission of a crime?
Do the bus companies or transport unions face sanctions for fostering an environment where their employees actively terrorize the public they are meant to serve?
Does the city council face accountability for failing to police its termini, turning major transport hubs into hostile, predator-friendly zones?
Currently, the answer is often no. This is the Culture of Impunity, the unspoken rule that allows low-level public harassment to flourish unchecked because it is dismissed as “just how things are” at the rank. This culture signals to predators that the system only cares about the final, most egregious crime, not the enabling conditions.
Our Demands for Systemic Accountability
For true justice to prevail we, society, need to demand accountability that extends far beyond a single conviction:
Zero-Tolerance Policy for Public Harassment: We call upon the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and municipal law enforcement to launch targeted operations to end the harassment of women and girls at all transport termini. Public sexual harassment must be treated as a serious crime that threatens public safety.
Regulation of Transport Operators: Bus companies and transport cooperatives must be held legally responsible for the conduct of their touts and staff. Licenses should be contingent upon demonstrating safe, professional and harassment-free operations.
Creation of Truly Safe Zones: The CBD must offer verifiable, institutional safe spaces for children and vulnerable adults, not empty vehicles. These should be well-lit, clearly marked and staffed by trusted, vetted personnel who are trained in GBV response and child protection.
Community and Cultural Intervention: We must collectively reject the social script that says "boys will be boys" or that "touts are just aggressive." This cultural acceptance of aggression in public spaces is the fertile ground in which predators thrive.
The trauma inflicted on this young girl began with the collective negligence of our society. Justice will only be served when every single person is held accountable for their part in making Rezende terminus, and every other public space, unsafe. We owe the survivor more than just an arrest, we owe her a guarantee that this can never happen again.
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