I just wanted someone to believe me

For safety reasons, her face has been blurred

Fathers are often seen as protectors by their daughters, but this is not the case for 16-year-old Mary Mwanza (not her real name), who experienced sexual abuse at the hands of her stepbrother when she was only 14.

Mary lived with her father after her parents divorced. Her father, an engineer, moved into a new home with his wife, Mary’s siblings, and his stepson. Mary explained that whenever the adults were away, her stepbrother would mistreat the children and sometimes deny them food.

One day, while Mary and her siblings were playing, her then-19-year-old stepbrother isolated her and sexually assaulted her. He threatened her to ensure she stayed silent, and this pattern of abuse left Mary deeply frightened and emotionally distressed.

“I wanted to run away because no one believed me,” she said.

Another girl living in the household later reported witnessing the incident, but Mary’s stepmother dismissed the claim at first. She only acknowledged the abuse after a family member confirmed what had been happening.

Despite this confirmation, Mary’s father took limited action. He removed the stepbrother from the home but did not pursue further steps that could have ensured accountability.

“He took me for a medical check-up, but my mother wanted him arrested. That never happened,” Mary said.
“I felt hurt because almost no one believed me. Only my close friend supported me. I still hope one day the law will act.”

Mary says her relationship with her father has never recovered.
“I used to admire him, but not anymore. I feel he protected my stepbrother. At first I thought his decision was enough, but now I know more should have been done.”

She has since called on parents and guardians to listen to all sides when resolving family conflicts, saying early intervention can protect children from long-term emotional distress.

“I used to be a big fan of my father, but not anymore,” she said, explaining that she now feels some decisions made in her childhood were not handled fairly. “At first I thought he was right, but as I’ve grown up, I feel more should have been done.”

Looking ahead, Mary says she intends to raise her younger siblings in a safer, more communicative environment. She stressed the importance of creating boundaries during play and ensuring that children are properly supervised to prevent harmful situations.

Zambia Police Service, through the Victim Support Unit (VSU), has recorded 9,899 cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) countrywide in the third quarter of 2025, representing an 8.2 percent reduction from the 10,782 cases reported during the same period in 2024.

According to the latest V-S-U statistics, 6,203 of the cases were criminal, translating to 63 percent, while 3,696 were non-criminal, accounting for 37 percent.

Police say the continued downward trend reflects the impact of ongoing sensitization programmes and strengthened community policing initiatives across the country.

A total of 913 sexual abuse cases were recorded, representing 9.2 percent of all GBV incidents. These included 657 cases of child defilement, mostly involving girl victims. Lusaka Province topped the list with 143 defilement cases, followed by Eastern Province with 114, and Southern Province with 113.

Other sexual offences documented in the period include 110 rape cases, 18 attempted rapes, 62 indecent assaults, and 25 cases of incest.

The V-S-U also referred 86 victims to partner organisations such as the National Legal Aid Clinic for Women (NLACW), Women in Law in Southern Africa (WILSA), and the YWCA for further support, counselling, and legal assistance.

Ends………………