Protect the child, not the molester

Mmegi Editor | Friday September 16, 2016 11:52

While mother hens are still doing all, even threatening with quacking sounds to wad off threats, more and more human mothers seem to be sacrificing their children on the alter of financial muscle or the pretext of protecting the family name.  Our children are under siege and the parents seem to have, instead of protecting their offspring, opting to protect the culprits.

We read about incidents where mothers have withdrawn court cases to protect molesters. A family member or friend rapes a child, and instead ensuring the culprit pays for the unspeakable act, the ‘family discussions’ take place, and the case is withdrawn. In most instances, the perpetrators are boyfriends or husbands of the mothers in question and breadwinners thereof, whilst in other cases, the culprits are uncles or cousins. Some are high profile community leaders, as witnessed by the case that has shaken the country and led to the rise of a social movement known as #IshallNotForget, which has taken course against child abuse.  

The case, known as Sebinagate, is of a councillor who impregnated a 16-year-old schoolgirl, and instead of rising with the nation against the abuser, the mother told the media that the family has come to an understanding with the culprit. Another disturbing case is of a mother whose child was molested by an older cousin, and went to court this week to plead for his mercy. Whilst it is not our norm to comment on matters before courts of law, we felt to do so on this case, in which the Francistown High Court found the 22 year-old guilty for having molested a five-year old. Shockingly, the mother asked the judge to forgive her nephew for molesting her child because the family has discussed the matter.

These are just a few examples of how our society has driven the mother to slowly abandon her responsibility to hold the sharp end of the knife to protect her child for material and economic gain. Mothers are forced or force their girl children to withdraw attempted murder cases, threat to kill cases for economic gain.

This cannot be allowed to continue. We are not against forgiveness and reconciliation, but the law should be allowed to take its course where victims are voiceless, powerless and vulnerable members of society.

 

Today’s thought 

“My mother and grandmothers could never have lived my life; my father and my grandfathers could never have imagined it. But they bestowed on me the promise of America, which made my life and my choices possible.” 

- Hillary Clinton, US presidential candidate