User talk:Charzza

On the 18th of March2005 I arrived at the Harare International Airport. Once I was settled I went to visit my grandparents. I did not visit the Kunira side of the family as they disowned me after my father’s death in 1999. On the 28th of March a friend of mine went into the city centre for an afternoon of shopping .While walking on Samora Machel Ave two men approached us and asked for directions to a particular shop .When we told the men that we had no idea of place they were looking for they walked away laughing and shouting that we should not act like snobs and act like normal Zimbabwean girls.

We laughed about it walked away and carried on with our shopping. A few minutes later the two men approached us and flashed their police badges and demanded to see our National ID cards. When we told them that we do not have them they started shouting at us and demanded to know why were shopping instead of at Youth Service like other girls our age. When we responded that we were on holiday one of them noticed that I had an accent they started shouting that you are the kind of traitors that we are looking for “Ma hure ekuLondon” (Girls that go to London and become prostitutes)

They grabbed our hands and started shouting insults about young girls like us have no business going to London when there is Youth Service to register for. They grabbed my shopping and all the money I had. In the constant shouting and humiliation on the street my friend managed to hit the man holding her and ray away into the crowded street. I was shouting for them to leave me alone and called for help from across the road. On the other side of the road was a parked ZRP police van .The men dragged me across the street and pushed me into a van .Everyone around just watched helplessly and I was driven away.

After 30 minutes drive we arrived at a Centre with a few buildings and surrounded by bush. I was pushed out of the van and taken to a reception area. At the reception they pushed my hands onto an ink pad and took my finger prints to another office at this point I was crying and shaking with fear They asked several times for my full name and I refused to speak. After that I was told to remove all my clothing in front of about 10 officers I refused and one of the men came and slapped me across the face and warned me that I should co operate otherwise I would be in serious trouble.

After a while they handcuffed my hands pushed me into a cell with about 20 other girls in there crying. Two hours later about 10 men came in and demanded everyone to take off their clothes and few minutes later they removed all the light bulbs and it was completely dark. Suddenly they started sexually assaulting, kicking, and slapping all the girls in the cell. I sometimes have nightmares about the screaming on this day as I was there and my genital area was fondled by a few men .One of them demanded that I give him oral sex while they all sang political war songs and chanted until early hours of the morning. The next day there was semen and torn condoms everywhere.

On the 29th all the girls were forced into morning exercises and endurance runs for 2 hours with constant supervision. Those that tried to escape were beaten up. There was no food and very little water to drink .We were constantly beaten and kicked on our legs. I still have the scars as constant reminder. During the night the same thing as the day before happened .We were constantly physically abused and sexually harassed once the lights we were turned off. Feeling very week and in constant pain I could not sleep.

On the 30th of March I purged myself to vomit and one officer noticed it .When he called me over he and realised I could not walk and had blood stains on my clothing .On of the officers suggested that they should get rid of me soon because “Ndiro hure reku London” (The prostitute from London ) someone was bound to come looking for her soon .They pushed me into the van and drove me out of the compound. The next I remember is waking up at the Paririrenyatwa Hospital entrance. I asked some passers by to help me into hospital .Once in there and a little better the nurse asked me what had happened. I explained to her and told her that I had been abducted she asked for my full name and looked for my mother and made a few calls.

An hour later my mother came to collect me in a frantic mess .The nurse had asked her to bring a few clothes and my passport with my passport where a few documents from my University and briefly explained what had happened. The nurses suggested that I should leave the country as soon as possible in case the Officers from the Centre came looking for me .Once at Harare International Airport changed my clothing and my mother went and rearranged my ticket for the next available flight back to the United Kingdom.

Since then my mother has remarried and has managed to change her name and now living in South Africa. As a result of all this I have a stigma in my right eye from the beatings(No cure ) .I also tested positive for Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) and on antiviral medication for life .Sometimes I have constant pain during my menstrual cycle and can not have a loving relationship because of the constant embarrassment of my illness.

This has seriously affected my life because I all this happened during my second year at University. I was depressed for a about 9 months and could not attend lectures as a result I failed my examinations and eventually dropped out of University .During that time I also lost my part time job and was unable to cope. I confided with a University mate who then introduced me to the student Union and received support ie counseling and eventually finished my degree. I constantly read the news about Zimbabwe and realize that I can not go back and live there because the Youth Service Centre is still active and I fear for my life. I have moved from area to area in fear of my life in case someone working for Zanu pf undercover finds me .I do not attend any Zimbabwean events happening in the U.K .I currently live at Refugee Council with other Zimbabweans with a different name because of the nature of my situation.