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.
According to research, approximately 14 percent of married
women across the world are raped by their husbands.
However, many people find it difficult to accept that marital
rape is a crime simply because the perpetrator and victim have a relationship
and live together, often enjoying consensual sexual relations.
Due to societal pressure, many women who are victims of
marital rape opt to keep quiet for fear of being reprimanded by their peers.
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 Post
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