In Zimbabwe, street harassment doesn't end on the sidewalk—it goes viral. Pretty Moyo exposes this growing digital violence and calls for urgent action.

“As women, we need to come together and use the same social media platforms to raise awareness about how damaging this toxic culture has become in our country.”

Imagine walking down the street in one of your favorite outfits — nothing extravagant, just something comfortable for the scorching midday heat. Suddenly, everyone is staring at you as if they’re seeing something shameful or disgusting. Before you even figure out why they’re behaving this way, a group of men starts following you, whistling and throwing dirty comments that penetrate deep inside you, like multiple nails being hammered directly into your heart. 

The worst part is that their phone cameras are pointed directly at you as they film you. The looks on their faces show they’re having one of the best moments of their lives. A few minutes later, you’re trending on all social media platforms. 

This is not a hypothetical scenario, but a frightening reality for thousands of women and girls living in Zimbabwe. This kind of behavior has become somewhat of a “norm” among Zimbabwean men who feel they have the right to impose their opinions on what women should wear. Whenever men come across a woman in attire they deem inappropriate or not aligned with their ideals of modesty, they start whistling and beeping their car horns to drive attention toward her. They throw nasty comments, which sound as bad as insults, and film the helpless woman before posting her on social media. 

From what I gather, the majority of Zimbabwean men view this harassment as a form of entertainment, making fun of women they think are dressing “provocatively.”

“She has no respect for herself.”

“She’s asking for attention.”

“She thinks she’s in the West.”

These are the types of comments flooding the comment sections whenever such a video is posted. Others mock the woman’s body structure, make lewd comments about her appearance, and occasionally, some women join in, saying she deserved it. This form of harassment has become so ingrained in our country that even women no longer feel the need to stand up for themselves. Instead, some have turned into abusers just like the men.

The disturbing part isn’t just the viral videos, but the overwhelming sense of powerlessness and injustice. The fact that men can follow a woman down the street, film her without consent, and use her body to fuel her online humiliation without any consequences is a chilling reminder of the digital violence women face.

Sometimes, the harassment doesn’t stop in the comment sections. Some women receive messages from strangers threatening rape, as these men feel she’s “asking for it.” This has devastating consequences for women, leading to depression, anxiety, mental health issues, and shame.

While the problem is huge, it can be put to an end. Zimbabwean women can regain their confidence, power, and pride. Action must be taken, and it must start now.

As women, we need to come together and use the same social media platforms to raise awareness about how damaging this toxic culture has become in our country.

Government must put in place laws and policies that explicitly prohibit this kind of online harassment, and the criminal justice system must take immediate action against any violent videos posted online.

Those responsible for posting such videos should face criminal charges. Social media platforms must enforce policies that prohibit the posting of videos that involve harassment, where a woman is filmed and posted without consent. Any comments linked to harassment should also be prohibited, with users facing deactivation of their accounts.

Men need to be held accountable for their actions. These actions won’t just protect us, but also our daughters and future generations.

Everyone has the right to wear whatever they feel comfortable in without fear of harassment or judgment. No one has the right to film another person and post them on digital platforms without their consent.

Zimbabwean women have the right to walk freely on the streets without any men passing nasty comments about their bodies or their looks. All of this can be achieved if we, as women, work together as one. 

STORY AWARDS

This story was published as part of World Pulse's Story Awards program. We believe every woman has a story to share, and that the world will be a better place when women are heard.