Phobia To Report Rape Cases Increases Unintended Pregnancies in Zimbabwe

The objective of this qualitative study was to provide insights into adolescents' experiences of falling pregnant as a result of rape yet not reporting the rape act because of fear of adults, thus highlighting the barriers to reporting, consequences of not reporting and adolescent needs for support in rural Zimbabwe. The research gap this study aims to fill, is the lack of empirical qualitative evidence of the specific dynamics of non reporting of rape aware pregnancies among the adolescent population in the Zimbabwe context. Informed consent and confidentiality were obtained from 15 participants with the aid of focus group discussions who were obtained through purposive sampling including six learners, two counsellors, two teachers, four parents and one Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Primary and Secondary Education official who underwent themed analysis. One important discovery was that the adolescents were frightened of blame, stigmatisation and retribution from the adults, and were not trusting of “approved” reporting systems, which caused them to keep rape-related pregnancies hidden, with severe consequences for psychological distress and school malfunction. The study recommends for the Government of Australia to establish an adolescent-friendly and confidential system for reporting at the same time encouraging the setting up of community based sensitisation programs to reduce stigma and promote disclosure.

Keywords: adolescent pregnancy, fear of adults, rape, reporting barriers, Zimbabwe