Zimbabwe: Abused from the tender age of 13

My mother died when I was still very young and I was taken into the care of my mother’s young sister, Tracey* and her husband Danie*. The two were very accommodating to me and many people thought that I was their eldest daughter and not their niece. They had only two children and we were a very closely knit family. One day Tracey* had to attend a distant relative’s funeral and Danie* stayed behind with us. Danie* called me to the bedroom just as the two children had fallen asleep. I confidently entered the bedroom not suspecting anything. I did not think that Danie* had a sinister motiveup his sleeve. I was only 13 years old when Danie* raped me. He increased the volume of the television set when I entered the bedroom. I cried the whole night and wondered why Danie* had done such an awful thing since I looked up to him for protection and everything. I told Tracey* of the unfortunate incident and she pleaded with me not to let anyone know about it. Danie* and Tracey* then bribed me with lots of goodies to buy my silence. 

I then eloped to Mcloudy* at the age of 16 because I could not continually stay with Tracey* and Danie*. During my stay with Mcloudy* either Tracey* or Danie* regularly called assuring me that they were with me in everything and I had to go to them if I needed any help. Out of the love I had towards my husband, I narrated how I had lost my virginity.I had two children with my husband in a space of five years. He then started cheating on me. When I confronted him about it he remained quiet. He later humiliated me in front of his friends that I lied to him that I was raped yet I was being intimate with my uncle. 

The emotional abuse continued and later developed into physical abuse. He would just beat me even for not polishing his shoes. I later surrendered and left for my Tracey*’s place with my two children. Danie* started nagging me whenever Tracey* was not around begging to have sex with me. I later told Tracey* but Danie* denied the accusations when he was asked. He then said that I was the one who was seducing him and he even regretted having me under his roof.I then left for Norton with my children to stay with my late mother’s brother. Mcloudy* then trekked me and forcibly took the children away with him. I am waiting for a set court date where I want sole custody of my children. I wish that I get some funding to grow my fish selling business. I buy some fresh fish in bulk, dry them and sell them as dried fish.