Hwange District rolled out its 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, and officials zeroed in on digital abuse after women and girls kept getting tormented online through cyberbullying and image-based harassment. Alice Bishi spoke for Acting District Development Coordinator Nyaradzo Masoja and said tech-facilitated violence causes real trauma, even though people dismiss it as less serious than physical attacks. Stats show one in three Zimbabwean women aged 15 to 49 dealt with physical violence, and one in four faced sexual assault.
Junior Councillor Nomhle Mtshiya called out young people for treating online abuse like harmless jokes when hacking and non-consensual photo sharing qualify as actual violence. Local board reps promised to partner with traditional leaders and schools to create safer reporting systems while pushing awareness campaigns year-round instead of treating the event as a one-off publicity stunt.
Junior Councillor Nomhle Mtshiya called out young people for treating online abuse like harmless jokes when hacking and non-consensual photo sharing qualify as actual violence. Local board reps promised to partner with traditional leaders and schools to create safer reporting systems while pushing awareness campaigns year-round instead of treating the event as a one-off publicity stunt.
