MEN who use sex enhancement drugs and illicit drugs are the main perpetrators of sexual abuse, a police detective has claimed.
CID spokesperson, Detective Assistant Inspector Rachel Muteweri, made the comments at a training conference for female police officers hosted by the Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Corporation Organisation (SARPCCO).
Det Asst Insp Muteweri said many cases of murder, domestic violence and rape were committed by men under the influence of drugs.
She said some men take sex-enhancing drugs in the hope of gaining power during sexual intercourse and they end up raping their relatives, minor children or those close to them.
“Police have been recording a number of murder, rape and domestic violence cases and chief among the causes is drug abuse.
“We have some men who take sex-enhancing tablets expecting to gain power during sexual intercourse and they end up raping their relatives, minor children and anyone close to them.
“Mhosva dzemakunakuna dzawanda zvichikonzerwa nevarume varikutora zvinodhaka pamwe nemapiritsi epabonde.
“Murder cases, where people kill each other with axes, are increasing because most of the suspects will be under the influence of illicit drugs,” she said.
Female police officers from the region marched in the Harare central business district (CBD) with placards denouncing violence against women and children, child marriages, human trafficking, and drug abuse.
Some of the placards were inscribed “Speak out against sexual and gender violence”, “No to child marriages”, “Modern day slavery end human trafficking now”, “Together we can stop drug and substance abuse”, “Do not trust anyone”, “Any person is a potential abuser”.
Officially opening the conference, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Deputy Minister, Ruth Mavhunga Maboi, said it would leave all participants better positioned to match the ever-evolving criminal sophistry and serve society effectively.
“I am encouraged that this training workshop is a regional drive towards elevated preparedness to counter the dynamism of criminality which now transcends beyond national borders.
“It’s through training conferences of this nature that law enforcement agencies can build the much-needed technical capacity to combat these emerging crimes,” she said.
Participants at the conference included female police officers from Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Malawi, and South Africa.
state media
