Research Findings
Zimbabwe Peace Project
Sexualised attacks
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Sexualised attacks are a form of gendered disinformation on women politicians and
activists. In the run up to the August 2023 elections, women in politics experienced
unwanted sexualised comments on and offline. Perpetrators of sexualised attacks used
metaphors to depict women as food. Comments ranged from “who is eating” and “food
for senior politicians.” The depiction of women as food for male politicians trivialises
women in politics and as such, is antithetic to gender equality in politics. It depicts women
as sex objects for men. It also portrayed women politicians as dependent on their
sexuality for political survival. These attacks are common when women assume new and
higher political positions. Pictures below demonstrate how female politicians such as
Fadzai Mahere and Charlotte Tinotenda Mukarati were portrayed as side dishes and small
houses of senior politicians from their political parties.
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