DIV4/5: RAPE AND DEFILEMENT AND ADULTERY

RAPE AND DEFILEMENT

Rape refers to the use of violence or force to have sex with an old woman without her consent.

Defilement refers to sexual intercourse between a man who may be above 18 years with a girl below 18 years according to laws of Uganda.

Today in Uganda, there are more practices of defilement and rape and the cross section of people to be involved in rape and defilement cases include pastors, teachers and students.

CAUSES OF RAPE AND DEFILEMENT

Cases of rape and defilement have increased in Uganda mainly because of the reasons discussed below:

• The failure of courts of law and the legal system to execute their duties has given chance for many people to get involved in rape and defilement.
• There is a lot of corruption and bribery in courts of law and the police plus the suspect relatives for example in 1999 Fred Mwanga who defiled a one year baby in Matugga was released by Kawempe police station after imprisoning him for one month.
• The decline in religious conviction and the general breakdown of morals among people he also created space for rape and defilement in the society. For example, Rev. Father Anthony Musaala was the former spoken church minister serving in Rubaga Cathedral in 2013 was accused by fellow priests of sex crimes.
• The weak and unfair punishments passed on the suspects when proved guilty have also led to rape and defilement. The maximum sentence according to the law of Uganda is a death penalty but it has never been given to any suspect which makes those practices to continue.
• The procedures/techniques used in such cases to confirm the rapist or the defiler are impossible for example the victim has to be examined by the doctor who are normally placed in Kampala yet the cases of rape and defilement mainly occur in rural areas.
• Such cases normally attract the attention of the public since they appear to be interesting which may bias the judge due to publicity. For example it is alleged that Musa Eweru was arrested in 2001suspected of defiling and impregnating the girl and since the case was involving the place, the minister was set free saying that e was innocent and the case was dismissed.
• There is a lot of missing files containing evidence against rapist or defilers in courts of law and police.
• Delays in court system whenever such cases come up for hearing simply because the police force in Uganda is in poor conditions and lack equipments to handle such cases.
• Suspects of rape and defilement normally escape from police cells because of poor structures of police stations in Uganda. That is to say, in rural areas some police cells are still made of mud or built using iron sheets easy to break.
• Both national and private media lack information about rape and defilement which makes two practices to continue in society.
• Lack of sensitization by police and courts of law about the seriousness and what must be done.
• Lack of facilitation by courts of law as it is gathering evidence against the suspect. The court may require victims to appear several times assuming she came from far and she cannot show up the case should be dismissed hence giving chance to victim to continue with his habit.

DANGERS OF RAPE AND DEFILEMENT

• Rape or defilement can lead to death in case one uses too much force upon a very weak opponent.
• Rape or defilement can leads to unwanted pregnancies causing over population in the country.
• Any of the two sexual misuses can cause imprisonment in case one is caught raping or defiling.
• Rape and defilement lead to increased spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
• One loses dignity or respect in the society if noticed.
• Rape and defilement do not cause enjoyment of sex to the people.
• If one is noted involved in rape or defilement, he may lead to mob justices.
• Rape or defilement causes barrenness to the women. The woman may have productive operations at the time of abortion.
• The girls lose their virginity meaning bride wealth may be lowered.
• It can lead dropping out of school especially if one received unwanted pregnancies.
• Rape or defilement can cause abnormal birth because girls may have got pregnant at a very tender age.
• Rape and defilement can cause parental denial. Parents may chase you out of home if you are caught as a defiler.
• The two evils of sex misuse can lead to risks of abortion which may result into birth/death.
• Rape and defilement causes physiological fortune to tiresome and may hate sex throughout her life.

THE WAYS HOW RAPE AND DEFILEMEMNT CAN BE REDUCED

• Rapists who are caught in acts should be counseled that they change their immoral behaviors but not just killing them by putting them on decidable.
• The rapists or defilers who are well known in a society should be advised to get sexual partners at home who can reduce on their sexual appetite.
• Indecent dressing in a society especially from the women side should be completely abolished in the public.
• The religious leaders should not be shy to talk about sex abuse in society most especially rape and defilement.
• Sex education should be re-awakened both at school and at home by the parents towards their children in terms of language.
• The government put strict laws on the production of pornographic materials such that the children should not get exposed to such materials like blue movies which change their behaviors sexually.
• Heavy punishments should be offered to offenders who have been caught in the act. For example giving them hard labor and longtime such that they learn the lesson and also threatened others from doing it.
• The government should help by eliminating a rapist from the society by putting them in a special rehabilitation centre.
• Women should also be advised to watch their movements especially at night if they are to move near males in dark.
• Women should be advised by the elders to sit well in the public such that they would not expose their private parts which can attract the rapists.
• The government should try to reduce on the maturity age for the person such that even a woman of 16 years who is not busy with studies is free to get married.
• The government should try to provide more jobs opportunities such that idleness which can force one to defile/rape a woman could be eliminated in the society.
• The government should put strict laws which can arrest the person caught in defilement.

ADULTERY

Adultery is when a married person is involved in sexual intercourse with another person other than his/her real       married partner.

In other words, it is sexual intercourse outside the official marriage that’s why people refer to it being unfaithful.

CAUSES OF ADULTERY

• Barrenness and impotence has made very many married people to commit adultery. Some times when one fails to produce, she may decide to look for children outside the official marriage and this is termed as adultery.
• Domestic violence or conflicts in marriages shows a lot of no love between man and woman and as a result cheating may be the solution and this is normally seen as a sign of revenge between the married couples.
• It is alleged that Hadijah Nasejje a former wife to pastor Kiganda of Christianity Focus Centre in Mengo Kisenyi Kampala city separated because the wife was cheating on the husband in 2006. She was caught in sexual love with Mukwasi a chapatti maker in the neighbour- hood.
• The increased level of poverty in homes especially where the husband can’t provide the basic needs like clothes, food, shelter and look after the wife a woman will look for another man who can provide the necessities.
• Women emancipation where they claim to have equal with a man and they believe whatever a man does, they can also do it. The moment a woman suspects the husband cheating on her she will also get another man to revenge.
• Lack of sex satisfaction in marriage especially men who can’t mark their wives end up committing adultery.
• Some partners in marriage have sexual libido to the extent that they can’t be satisfied by a single married partner hence committing adultery.
• Long separation of married people lead to temptations which may result into committing adultery. That is to say, married men in Uganda going to work abroad living their partners in Uganda end up being attempted to adultery.
• The presence of contraceptives in form of pills, condoms and injections has made married partners to know that they are safe from pregnancy and STDs by using pills and condoms hence adultery.
• Producing children of same sex is used as an excuse to cheat their wives expecting to get child of another sex in side marriage.
• Peer group influence has contributed to adultery also in Uganda today.
• Lack of enough time for a partner especially where one claims to be so busy and most cases one may have decided to cheat on the other as the only solution and this most cases as a sign of revenge between married partners.
• Drug abuse like alcoholism which makes married people unable to control their sexual temptations hence resulting into adultery. For example, in 2008 the Buganda kingdom organized the celebration to mark the end of the year ‘‘enkuuka’’ where a married man was caught having sex with another woman..

DANGERS OF ADULTERY

• Adultery leads to frustration and psychological torture.
• It leads to easy spread of sexually transmitted diseases for example HIV/AIDS.
• It also leads to loss of dignity and respect in community.
• Unfaithfulness among the married people.
• It leads to abortion and sometimes barrenness.
• It leads to misunderstandings between families of the couples.
• It leads to unwanted pregnancies.
• It leads to loss of property among the partners.
• It undermines god’s image in man.
• The gift of sex loses meaning.
• It shows a bad example to children when they are shared as properties.
• Adultery may lead to death especially after a man is hurt by a woman. For example Bathsheba and David who lost their first born son.

THE PROBABLE SOLUTIONS TO ADULTERY

• The government together with the non government organizations should try to fight against people who use drugs like Viagra, cocaine, kubber which intense people’s sexual desires even when they have nobody at home to cater for it.
• The person needs to be taken for guidance and counseling so as she/ he can change behavior from the advice of counselors.
• Advise people to avoid peer group influence.
• Advice should be given to the partners to get church marriage, observe their marriage vows and practice monogamous marriage.
• The government should put up strict laws about marriage. For example the adulterous should be killed like the mosaic laws state.
• Partners should go together to enjoy their leisure activities like in movies to discuss about their difference.
• Marriage couples should respect one another in order to have a stable marriage. That is to say, companionship should be extended between the partners as the bible stresses.
• Partners should try their level best to satisfy one another sexually so as to avoid one from moving out to get sexual satisfaction from other partners.
• Partners should get nearby jobs to their homes as to reduce on the high chances of their partners moving out due to search for sexual satisfaction from other people.

BIBLICAL TEACHING ABOUT ADULTERY

• Man and woman found committing adultery were supposed to be stoned to death as indicated in Deuteronomy 22:22 hence adultery is a serious sin punishable by death.
• King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and produced a son who later died despite David’s prayers. This means that although David repented but his son died because God hates adultery.
• Although sex is a blessing from God no man is allowed to have sex with another man’s wife because such a man commits adultery which is against God’s commandments (2 Sam 11)
• One of the things which made a person unclean in the Israelites community was adultery (Leviticus 18:20) hence the Mosaic Law is very clear and against this practice.
• Men were warned never to be tempted by the beauty and the eyes of another man’s wife (Proverbs 5:23)
• In the Ten Commandments adultery is condemned for men and women. That is to say, a man is prohibited to have sexual intercourse with another man’s wife as a woman.
• According to Mathew 5:31 divorce and adultery are condemned by God himself.
• Although adultery is a sin married partners should forgive each other for the sake of marriage relationship. For example, Hosea forgave his wife Gomer whenever she came back from her lovers (Hosea 4, 3)
• When Jesus was teaching about marriage, he said that a man who divorces his wife and marries another one commits adultery and the vice versa (Mark 10:11-12)
• John 8:1-12 present Jesus forgiving a woman who was caught committing adultery thus partners have to forgive each other since there is no sin which is unforgivable when one repents.
• In 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, there is a serious warning to married people not to leave their partners and always to reconcile.
• Lev 20:10 condemns adultery and goes ahead to say that both man and woman who commit adultery should be seriously punished since it is a sin in eyes of God