Crime Watch: Concealment of births

EXPOSURE of infants and concealment of birth probably are some of the social ills that, besides being crimes in their own right, threaten the propagation of human life while eroding our social and cultural norms and values.

Previously and popularly known as baby dumping, exposure of infants has seen many, especially the youth, facing the long arm of the law in the same manner that concealment of birth has under circumstances that could have been avoided.

A closer look at this crime will help us prevent situations where people find themselves at the mercy of the law.

The Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, Chapter 9, 23, explicitly describe the crime.

The offence is committed by any person who buries, abandons or disposes of the body of a child with the intention of concealing the fact of its birth, whether the child was stillborn or died during or after its birth. The Act provides for a penalty of a fine not exceeding level seven (in the country’s standard scale of fines) or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both (Section 106).

Common causes that have been apparent to the police from cases handled appear to be the following:

Teenage pregnancies: rarely do teenagers have wanted pregnancies because they are either not married, school going or just not prepared for the responsibilities that come with child bearing. In addition, parents have family

reputations and names to protect and are ruthless when it comes to dealing with children who get into the family way.

Denied pregnancies: the alleged father rejects the mother by denying the pregnancy or simply expressing unwillingness to take child responsibility.

The mother may have immature coping skills or will simply be unprepared for the challenges of looking after a new baby resulting in her deciding to relieve herself of that future burden.

Child born out of incest or any prohibited relationship between the couples: Concealment here might be as a result of the stigma and shame attached to or fear of the family and community associated with intimate relationships between people who are related.

Although police may not have dealt with many cases emanating from this scenario as a factor, it is important to note that persons who find themselves embroiled in them can lawfully get pregnancies terminated without resorting to unlawful means. The only concern that remains is that such relations are criminal and have their own punitive consequences.

There are many other situations that drive people to commit the crimes of concealment of birth or exposure of infants.

It is then important for the community to firstly appreciate that the scourge is with us and therefore need us to come together to address them. In doing so we remember that perpetrators sometimes are so daring and pull off acts that make even the best adventure movie a mockery.

Remember the story of a pregnant young woman who was on board a bus that had a breakdown at Wengezi business Centre.

So determined was she to get rid of her pregnancy that she disembarked from the bus, rushed to the toilet and dumped her baby in the toilet before continuing with her journey when the bus was repaired.

Police are currently battling with cases where young women, so desperate to do away with their newly born babies, resort to abandoning them at refuse dumping sites, in storm drains or simply exposing them to conditions they would hardly survive.

The public must therefore work together to prevent the recurrence of concealment of birth and exposure of infants.

A starting point would be for a collective approach in guiding our youth, who are the major culprits, in adopting good moral principles.

Dangers of pre-and extra-marital sex should always be preached and the youth be empowered to be able to fight the urge to engage in such acts.

Parents should always keep a close eye on their children so as to keep in touch with any adverse developments that could be taking place around their lives. It may not require specialists to notice changes associated with pregnancies among young people especially when we consider that some cases may involve children of school going age.

It should be everyone’s duty to conscientise vulnerable groups that falling pregnant when one least expects or not prepared, does not mean the end of the world for both the mother and the unborn child. There is need to reassure them that where there is a will to bring up the child there will always be a way.

Inserted by: ZRP Manicaland Province Press and Public Relations.