Source: All Africa
While Zimbabwe joined the rest of the World in Commemorating 26 June International Day in Support of Victims of Torture not much is being done to support the most affected victims who are women.

The historical background on violence and torture against women in Zimbabwe is well documented since we attained independence.

It all started in the 80's when the ZANU PF government embarked on the unforgettable massacre of innocent women and children in the Matebeleland region, thousands of women became victims in many forms, some were killed, others maimed, some lost their husbands, other lost parents, some lost their children.

Many of them were raped, politically motivated sexual violence was perpetrated against them, including extreme violence, gang rape and insertion of objects into their genitalia.

As if that was not cruel enough, with the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change in the new millennium, women again became victims, raped because of their political activity or the political activities of their husbands.

Ask any women the experience of 2008, the sexual assaults reported are extremely distressing, with horrific reports of gang rape. Some of these women were raped by numerous perpetrators until they lost consciousness.

After this cruelty has been done nothing is done by the Inclusive Government of Zimbabwe to ensure that survivors of sexual violence are consulted in any programme of assistance. The survivors do not live in a vacuum and their families should be part of the healing process.

Many reports that have been made to the police, but few arrests have followed.

However, the police in the country have been hard on women, with some demonstrating for their voices to be heard arrested for moving around at night, denying women their right to movement. It is unfortunate to note that many women who have been raped and abused have not been able to access justice owing to an uncooperative police force.

• Zimbabwe