Political Rape: "It was against my will..."

"It was against my will and he did not use any protection"

"I was taken hostage by Zanu-PF youths who are being led by a major and war veteran, one of them said I had to renounce my allegiance to opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)."

Barack Obama was freely elected in the United States. We griped about voter oppression, we watched with our cell phones ready for polling booth irregularities, we never worried about what opposition to the ruling party would mean to us physically - it's not part of what or who we are. While we worry that elections are held on the up-and-up. That all play by the rules. That elections are truly free - we do not worry that the political party we affiliate with will get us raped or beaten or... killed.

"I had to give in to his demands as he said I could be beaten. It was against my will and he did not use any protection." Before the first round of the election in March, Maidei, like many other young people fed up with Zimbabwe's economic crisis, was not afraid to make her support for the opposition known.

We drive, take a cab and walk to our polling places. We cast our ballots and we return to our homes, safe, secure and we never think twice about the freedom we have just exercised. The freedom that so many in this country have given their lives for and so many in other countries continue to fight to obtain.

A local Zanu-PF official explained that the pungwes, used during the war of independence, were still necessary as "political re-orientation" exercises to warn people "against the opposition which is backed by the West".

Asked about the allegations that men were raping women and girls forcibly at the meetings, he replied matter-of-factly: "We have to share in comradeship as we have the same aim to get rid of the opposition here." His reply glossed over the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/Aids which has wreaked havoc in Zimbabwe.

Life expectancy is down to 37 years from a life span of 60 years back in 1990. This is largely due to the HIV/Aids pandemic.

You have been given a voice, use it. Go out and SCREAM! about something you care about.

Politics, Humanitarian, Society