IT hurts when the person who used to make you feel special makes you feel worthless.

Trapped in a loveless and abusive marriage, Cordelia Marume went to the extent of producing torn underwear in court to prove that the man she walked down the aisle with has become ruthless.

Cordelia accused her estranged husband, Obert Marume, of marital rape, and was seeking a protection order against him.

The situation between the two is so tense that they are now sleeping in separate rooms.

However, it is alleged that Obert is in the habit of sneaking into Cordelia’s room and forcing himself on her.

Obert, on the other hand, claims that he sleepwalks into Cordelia’s room.

The estranged couple appeared before Mutare magistrate, Ms Nyasha Kuture, last week on Friday.

A furious Cordelia produced torn panties and tights as evidence of the abuse she has been suffering at the hands of Obert.

“As a way of protecting myself from his aggressiveness, I now sleep in my jeans Your Worship,” narrated Cordelia.

“Every time he abuses me, I wake up while he is still in the act. He apologises claiming that he would have sleepwalked into my room. When he is done, he returns to his room.

“May the court please tell him that I am no longer interested in becoming intimate with him, even with protection. I have lost all affection for him,” she said.

She also told the court that Obert is in the habit of assaulting her over petty issues.

In his defence, Obert told the court that Cordelia’s application for a protection order was a way of silencing him as she had cheated on him.

He also denied raping Cordelia, although he went on to highlight that they are still legally married and staying under one roof.

Ms Kuture granted the protection order in Cordelia’s favour.

In granting the order, Ms Kuture ordered Obert to stop violating Cordelia sexually.

“If she reports you to the police, you will face criminal charges, so refrain from such actions. While she is your lawful wedded wife, you cannot force her to be intimate with you,” said Ms Kuture.

While Zimbabwe has put legislation in place to protect women from marital rape, only a few of them have actually made use of it.

Marital rape is enshrined in the Domestic Violence Act.

manica p