HIV Positive Malawian Man Paid to Have Unprotected Sex with Underaged Girls Arrested
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"1 in 6 children in Malawi are vulnerable to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect, and are at risk of contracting HIV"-UNICEF.
Trending is the HIV Positive Malawian Man Paid $4-$7 to have unprotected sex with underage girls.The African child have been under siege, especially the girl child who are more vulnerable in conflicts, terrorism,war and all forms of abuse imaginable. Despite having child protection laws in place implementation is a major set back. Most devastating is the fact that more perpetrators go unpunished as many cases of abuse have be unreported.
A child protection system is a coordinated, harmonized and systematic approach to protect children from violence, abuse, exploitation, neglect and HIV prevention and impact mitigation. How effective is the child protection policy in your country? Child right activists and NGOs must continue to put pressure on their government law enforcement agencies to effect arrest and punishment for perpetrators, no one should be shielded from the wrath of the law when evidence of abuse have been established. Must Read; Psychological Impact of Child Abuse
MALAWI LAW ON CHILD PROTECTION
One in six children in Malawi are vulnerable to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect, and are at risk of contracting HIV. It is for these reasons that UNICEF(2012-2016) have been supporting Malawi's national efforts to draw together an extensive response to child protection and orphans and vulnerable children into an operational National Child Protection System. The goal of the National Child Protection System is to protect children from violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect, while mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS.
Malawi Police Arrest HIV Positive Malawian Man Paid to Have Unprotected Sex with Underage Girls;Malawi Law on Child Abuse
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| Eric Avina |
BBC recently shared a special report featuring a middle aged HIV positive Malawian man, Eric Avina, whose responsibility is to conduct "sexual cleansing" for underaged and also matured women in Nsanje district in southern Malawi. Avina in his community is referred to as Hyena, a traditional title given to a man hired by communities in several remote parts of southern Malawi to provide what's called sexual "cleansing". Teenage girls, after their first menstruation, are made to have sex over a three-day period with Avina to mark their passage from childhood to womanhood.
What is known as a “hyena” in Malawi culture is usually a man who has sex with widows or married women who cannot fall pregnant.
What is known as a “hyena” in Malawi culture is usually a man who has sex with widows or married women who cannot fall pregnant.
If a man dies, for example, his wife is required by tradition to sleep with Avina before she can bury him. If a woman has an abortion, she is expected to sleep with Avina to undergo cleansing. Also teenage girls, after their first menstruation, are made to have sex over a three-day period with Avina to mark their passage from childhood to womanhood. If the girls refuse, it's believed, disease or some fatal misfortune could befall their families or the village as a whole. He says he's one of 10 hyenas in their community, and that every village in Nsanje district has them. They are paid from $4 to $7 (£3 to £5) each time.
He told the BBC that he did not mention his HIV status to those who hire him.
He told the BBC that he did not mention his HIV status to those who hire him.
"Most of those I have slept with are girls, school-going girls. Some girls are just 12 or 13 years old, but I prefer them older. All these girls find pleasure in having me as their hyena. They actually are proud and tell other people that this man is a real man, he knows how to please a woman." he told BBC.
Alvina has now been arrested. A government spokesman told BBC Africa that Aniva was arrested on Malawi President, Peter Mutharika's orders and would be prosecuted for violating children's rights. The spokesman also revealed that the president was disturbed by the revelations made in the story and has vowed to crackdown on the cultural practice.
President, Peter Mutharika said the police should investigate and charge him over the cases of defilement he had seemingly confessed to.
According to the president; “while we must promote positive cultural values and positive socialisation of our children, the president says harmful cultural and traditional practices cannot be accepted in this country,” presidential spokesman Mgeme Kalilani said in a statement
Aniva would “further be investigated for exposing the young girls to contracting HIV and further be charged accordingly”, he said.
The president had also ordered all men and parents involved to be investigated, Kalilani said.
“All people involved in this malpractice should be held accountable for subjecting their children and women to this despicable evil,” the statement said.
“These horrific practices although done by a few also tarnish the image of the whole nation of Malawi internationally and bring shame to us all.”
Last year Malawi banned child marriage, raising the legal age of marriage from 15 to 18 – something activists hoped would put an end to early sexual initiations.
Mr Aniva told the BBC that he planned to stop taking part in sexual cleansing practices.
Aniva would “further be investigated for exposing the young girls to contracting HIV and further be charged accordingly”, he said.
The president had also ordered all men and parents involved to be investigated, Kalilani said.
“All people involved in this malpractice should be held accountable for subjecting their children and women to this despicable evil,” the statement said.
“These horrific practices although done by a few also tarnish the image of the whole nation of Malawi internationally and bring shame to us all.”
Last year Malawi banned child marriage, raising the legal age of marriage from 15 to 18 – something activists hoped would put an end to early sexual initiations.
Mr Aniva told the BBC that he planned to stop taking part in sexual cleansing practices.
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