An alarming number of girls in Zimbabwe, some as young as 12 years old, are already involved in sex encounters, resulting in high incidences of adolescent pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), investigations by The Standard last week revealed.
Interviews with the teenagers, teachers and health specialists established that a lot of girls were indulging in sexual activities at a tender age, but most parents were reluctant to admit it because the subject was sensitive and emotive.
This, health workers said, has resulted in an upsurge of cases of adolescent pregnancies and STIs infections, as most of the teenagers lack knowledge on sexual reproductive health (SRH) issues.
They said an absence of youth friendly public health facilities has also become a barrier to the full implementation of SRH services.
public health facilities has also become a barrier to the full implementation of SRH services.
The Standard established that some schoolchildren were falling prey to kombi drivers, touts and older men who shower them with gifts in return for unprotected sex. Some teenagers offer their bodies to kombi drivers so that they can get free rides to school.
"They [female students] always come to us because they want free rides," said Tinashe, a kombi conductor, who plies the City-Warren Park route. "Of course, they will have to pay for it in kind. The problem is if I don't do it with her, she will do it with somebody else, so I have to do it."
We indeed live in perilous times!
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