Articles by Emilia Randall

Technology

'We were taught how to sexually please husbands as child brides aged just 14'

A disturbing ritual once used to groom child brides for "marriage" is now being transformed by young women in Zimbabwe who are rejecting the custom that schooled children in sexually satisfying their adult spouses. "Nhanga" - a local expression meaning "girls' bedroom" - was traditionally a female-only environment used to instruct teenage girls in submission. The guarded hut served for "secret, musical rites of passage render young girls eligible for lobolo, bride-price negotiation," wrote Thomas F. Johnston, in The Secret Music of Nhanga Rites. He added: "Through song, mime, and mild forms of physical mutilation, the old women overseers of the Nhanga teach initiates how to please the husband sexually, and rehearse them in the duties o f a junior wife: carry water long distances, clear village fireplaces o f ashes, gather firewood, tend the fields, pound maize in the mortar, and show humility to senior co-wives." In Shamva, this custom is being revolutionised, reports the Express . Here, the Nhanga is "a safe space, every girl feels free," 18-year-old Anita Razo, who joined the group at 14 and now mentors younger girls, told the Associated Press. Within the shelter, guided by a mentor, the girls candidly discuss sexuality, child marriage, teen pregnancy, gender bias, education, economic empowerment, and the law. The objective is to strengthen girls against child marriage in the nation where one in three girls marries before 18, according to the United Nations Children's Fund, calling it "a national emergency demanding urgent action". "Zimbabwe and other African nations have banned child marriage, but destitution, sluggish law enforcement and cultural and religious traditions make it difficult to eliminate it entirely. Samantha Chidodo was coerced into an abusive marriage at 17 to a man almost 10 years her senior, but now she is 26 and studying her final year of law. "All I wanted was to play and think of my future. Suddenly I had to be a mother and wife," she revealed at a camp that combined tent sessions with a "girls and goals" football tournament, "I didn't even know what to do. I would be dead asleep, oblivious that I needed to breastfeed. A woman next door would take the crying baby, feed him and return him to the sleeping teenage mother," she explained. After two years, she departed, but was shunned by her neighbours. With the backing of Rozaria Memorial Trust, she returned to school and became one of the modern Nhanga trailblazers." "Initially, we were only about 20 girls. Almost 90% of us did well, some went to college, others started projects. The community began to see our power, and encouraged their children to join," she said. "Nhanga is now seen as cool. " Now more than 200 girls in her village take part with many schools across Zimbabwe adopting the model. Xmas Savanhu, a local village headman, said leaders now enforce rules against early marriage and offenders reported to police and forced to pay a cow as a fine held in trust by the chief for the girl's education. He said: "This ensures she can return to school without financial worries." Enet Tini, a teacher and mentor for girls whose school has adopted this model, said that despite their efforts and government policy, cultural attitudes persist. "The gap that we have lies with the adults. They view pregnancy or child marriage as indiscipline so they think the girls should be punished," she added. Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda, deputy executive director at U.N. Women and founder of the Rozaria Memorial Trust, labelled child marriage as "essentially rape and sexual exploitation" and a global issue, but "much higher in Africa." "Laws are important ... but it is critically essential to reach to the girls themselves, to do the shift in the social norms in our communities," said Gumbonzvanda, who established Rozaria Memorial Trust in 2007 in memory of her late mother, who was married at 13. Razo, the young mentor, concurs that the long-term solution should involve the young girls, stating "If we can pressure each other into behaving badly, then we can also influence each other to act positively. "

Technology

Boy pretended to be asleep as killer stood in his bedroom doorway - and his quick thinking helped catch him

A young boy pretended to be asleep while the man who murdered his loved-ones in cold blood stood at his bedroom door, but his quick thinking meant he was able to help the police catch the killer. Four-year-old Dameon Huffman was living with his great-grandparents, Jack, 51, and Linda Myers, 55, in Darke County, Ohio, US, when the 25-year-old Greg Myers, Jack's son from his first marriage, went on a rampage. The Myers family were well regarded by the local community, lived on a 40-acre farm and also ran a popular pizza restaurant. Dameon's mother - Amber - was 16 when she had her son but they were set to be reunited when he finished pre-school. Greg was the best man at the Jack and Linda's wedding less than a year before the attack, but when he hit financial troubles he donned a dark green jumpsuit and latex gloves, and set out to grab his inheritence via a shotgun. The 25-year-old killed both his father and Linda on the morning of March 27, 2003, by shooting them both in the head at point-blank range while they slept. When police started investigating they thought Dameon may have encountered the murderer when they found traces of blood in his bedroom. Dameon did not have the language to describe the horror he saw but later revealed the sighting of a 'ghostly' figure to police after they built him a model home, fit with dolls to try and encourage him to recount the morning. Moving Greg’s figure to his own room he whispered “I heard a click”, referring to the opening of his door. When the youngster went downstairs in the morning he discovered both his great-grandparents dead. He tried to call 911 but the phone line has been cut. Dameon ran barefoot to his preschool, covered in blood,where he reported that his loved ones “were melting.” Police found the front door wide open. The house was silent - with no sign of struggle in the kitchen. They then found the bodies were still warm. Detectives interviewed neighbours and friends and found nothing until the alarm was raised around Greg, who appeared for questioning and said he was at work at the time of the crime handing over his timecard as proof. He even volunteered for a polygraph test and said they could search his home. A few days later, five miles from the house, police found a shotgun in the stream and found the serial number wiped off - they cross referenced fire arms sales and found an advertisement for the Winchester shotgun - they tracked seller who handed over a notepad listing Greg Myer’s name as the buyer. Police dug deeper and found Greg was in serious financial trouble. He would inherit Jack and Linda’s entire farm if they died. Police confronted Greg with the evidence - he said he didn't own anything like a green jumpsuit. Greg was then bought back in for a second questioning. He insisted that he had sold the shotgun. A team of officers then found another item - a bin bag tied up in the stream. It contained a dark green jumpsuit, latex gloves, and a pair of tennis shoes. A fingerprint on one of the gloves matched his perfectly. Investigators believe he wore smaller shoes on purpose. Lead investigator Mark Whittaker informed Amber he was being charged. She said “I just dropped to my knees - I couldn't believe it. Greg was family, he was someone I trusted.” In April 2004, a year after the murders, he stood trial for two counts of aggravated murder. The defense attempted to argue the weather was circumstantial while the prosecution said Dameon “saw what no child should ever have to see.” A jury found Gregg guilty on both charges of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated robbery. He received two life sentences without parole. Gregg Myers is serving his time at Ohio's Marion Correctional Institution, according to Forensic Files.