Social worker Joseph Moyo is taking a stand on one of Africa’s silent crises: the prevalence of forced sex within marriages and relationships, a practice he calls "a hidden epidemic" that’s far too often dismissed under cultural norms.
As founder of the African Woman Foundation, Moyo is determined to change the narrative around intimate partner abuse, stressing that “forced sex within marriage is not just wrong—it’s a human rights violation.”
Moyo’s rallying cry, “Women are not trophies,” is directed at harmful societal beliefs that normalize men’s entitlement to their partners' bodies.
“Men should never view women as trophies to hunt, collect, and use at will,” Moyo asserted, emphasizing that women's bodies are their own and should only be accessed with clear, mutual consent.
He calls for widespread education, both for women to recognize that forced sex in any form is abuse, and for men to understand that respect is paramount.
Through research with the African Woman Foundation, Moyo revealed that over 90% of women in certain African communities have experienced intimate partner sexual abuse but often remain silent, believing such treatment to be normal.
This silence, Moyo argues, is perpetuated by cultural myths that women exist to satisfy men’s desires.
“Sex is not about women ‘feeding’ men,” he says. “It’s an act that requires both parties to be prepared, willing, and consenting.”
But Moyo isn’t stopping with just awareness.
He calls for stronger laws to protect women, urging governments to enforce spousal rape laws, impose tougher penalties, and launch national campaigns challenging cultural beliefs that condone abuse.
In his view, both community education and stricter policies are critical to ending this cycle of violence.
Moyo’s message also highlights the economic angle of abuse, noting that poverty often increases vulnerability for women and girls.
He argues that lifting women out of poverty, coupled with comprehensive education, can help curb such abuse. His mantra rings loud and clear:
“The value of women is not in sex or childbearing, but in what they can achieve when empowered to contribute to society.”
For Moyo, change begins in the household.
He urges families to raise boys to respect women’s boundaries and to empower girls to control their own bodies.
“We must stop teaching girls that their bodies exist for men’s pleasure,” Moyo said, adding that only through such shifts can we protect the dignity, rights, and autonomy of women across Africa.
With calls for action echoing across Zambia, Moyo’s crusade is one of courage, challenging the very foundation of norms that have long kept women in silence.
As he says, “The time for change is now—women deserve respect, and they deserve the right to live free from abuse.”
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