RECENT media reports on the continued defilement of children are quite disturbing.
Last week, a 10- year- old girl was defiled by a 75-year-old man of Luanshya while an 85-year- old man defiled a four-year-old girl in Chibombo who he was entrusted with.
Equally shocking was the defilement of a nine-year-old-girl by his biological father who allegedly took turns in defiling his daughter with his friend. The incident was indeed shocking.
However, the question that needs to be asked probably is “Where are we as a nation missing it?
One thing for sure is that there is a need for all stakeholders to put their ideas together to find ways of addressing this escalating problem.
However, it must be acknowledged that in addressing any problem, identifying the root causes is the key.
Arguably, a number of causes have been cited, one of which is parental negligence.
To this end, one parent who remained anonymous said child negligence was indeed a contributing factor to defilement.
The woman in her contribution to the column said that one child in her neighbourhood was defiled due to pure negligence on the part of her parents.
She said before she was defiled, the child would be spotted playing with other children in the early evening or some times near drinking places.
The child had little or no guidance and it was not surprising that she was defiled.
However, alcohol abuse on the other hand has been identified as a leading cause of defilement and rape cases.
In fact, the 75-year-old man who defiled a 10-year-old girl in Luanshya last week was intoxicated with illicit beer.
However, apart from alcohol abuse, moral decay and the breakdown of the family system has also been cited as one of the leading causes of defilement and rape cases.
To this end , Gender Minister Inonge Wina not too long ago in fact called on society to take stock of how it was building family values following a Mazabuka incidence where a drunken mother was raped by her son.
It was after this incidence it was also stated that chances of rape occurring had the mother been sober were slim.
On the other hand, defiling a nine-year-old girl by her biological father is indeed a reminder that society should take stock of how it is building family values.
The action is also a sign that something needs to be done urgently. Arguably, societal beliefs have also been cited as a leading cause to defilement.
The belief that sleeping with a virgin cures HIV/AIDS was cited as a leading cause of defilement, especially in the rural areas.
Agreeably, it is from identifying contributing factors that solutions to the problem (of defilement) could be found.
Identifying factors is helpful in reducing incidences of defilement. However, the bottom line is to fight this evil from society by all means, so there is need for all stakeholders to unite and root out this problem.
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