CHILD defilement has become a global scourge and a challenge that has adversely affected the future of children.
When an adult engages in sexual activity with a child, that individual is performing a criminal and immoral act and that can never be considered normal or socially acceptable behaviour in society. It actually stinks.
Sadly, cases of child defilement in Zambia have become an everyday affair and the situation appears to have already completely gotten out of hand.
It is indeed dismaying that our men should continue to carry out such horrid activities with impunity despite the massive sensitization against the vice.
What is perhaps more depressing is that a good number of these defilements are being carried out by relatives of the victims who should be their protectors.
Recently there was a disgusting defilement case of a three-day 0ld baby who unfortunately had to die from that evil act.
Of course child defilement has been in existence for many years back but what is worrying is the upward gradient which it has taken lately.
It would appear however that this evil cannot be won through stiffer punishment and sensitization alone but also by serious personal effort to change mentality of the citizens.
In some cases child defilement has been carried out with the myths of cure for some STIs and HIV/AIDS or cleansing an individual from some evil spirits. Total bunkum!
Time for action against this vice is now and it does not matter who is evolved be it the father, uncle, grandfather, friend or brother. They be reported to police for action which could also act as a deterrent to would be perpetrators.
In this vein we seriously call for reinforcement of current legislative laws to curb child defilement by providing harsher chastisements on culprits which would send a strong signal to would-be offenders.
We think that religious organisations and business communities should also take up the matter by talking against child defilement in churches and work places respectively so that the message can go across and fight this immorality tooth and nail.
Indeed teachers too have a bigger role to play in safeguarding small female pupils who may fall prey to these heartless monsters.
They should encourage children not to be silent about men or uncles touching them in certain ways or even having sex with them so that they immediately tell their parents or their teachers.
This brings us to a shocking case of a Choma man who allegedly defiled and gruesomely murdered his three-year-old niece and dumped her body near Independence Stadium and is currently appearing in the magistrates’ court.
Kent Chuulu, 20, of Choma’s Mwapona Township has been charged with murder.
Particulars of the offence are that on May 25, in Choma, Chuulu allegedly murdered his three-year-old niece after raping her.
Chuulu was allegedly left with his niece by her mother on the material day when she went to do some piece work.
When the sister returned she asked about the whereabouts of her daughter.
Chuulu pleaded ignorance and left home with his laptop bag.
He was later apprehended by a member of the public who became suspicious of the bag’s contents after Chuulu took to his heels when he was asked about the contents.
Child defilement is evil and must be stopped no matter what it takes for the good of our children, our future generation.
