The case is shocking in its seriousness: Zvikomborero Maria Makedenge, a 33-year-old Zimbabwean teacher living in the United States, was arrested on November 28, 2025, in Glen View, Harare, for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old male student. The encounter was filmed, and the video went viral, sparking a firestorm of reactions on social media – especially on X.
Although the facts clearly constitute the sexual exploitation of a minor, a very loud segment of internet users (mostly men) is opposing the teacher’s arrest and even downplaying or celebrating the act. This double-standard phenomenon explodes every time an adult woman sexually abuses an adolescent boy. Here’s why.
1. Straight-Up Denial: “It’s not rape – the boy was clearly enjoying it”
The vast majority of comments refuse to call it rape or sexual assault the moment the victim is a boy and the video shows him actively participating.
Thousands of users repeat the same refrain:
- “The kid was in full control – slapping her ass, directing the camera…”
- “At 16 he knew exactly what he was doing”
- “How can it be rape when he’s obviously having the time of his life?”
Apparent pleasure is turned into valid consent, even though Zimbabwean law (like most countries) sets the age of consent at 16 and strictly prohibits sexual relations between an adult in a position of authority and a minor – let alone filming it.
2. Victim-Blaming: “The boy is the one at fault, not her”
A second wave of reactions completely flips responsibility:
- “You can’t smack ass like that and still call yourself a victim”
- “This kid clearly watched too much porn – look at those moves”
- “If it were me, I’d have asked for pocket money and let her keep going”
- Some even call for the boy’s parents to be arrested “for raising a porn star.”
The minor goes from victim to seducer or opportunist in the blink of an eye.
3. Macho Celebration: “The brotherhood is proud of him”
Many comments openly congratulate the teenager:
- “The brotherhood is extremely proud of him”
- “Justice for my brother – we’re super proud”
- “Where’s the video? I want to see the young scout beating the drum”
The abuse becomes a performance, a “win” for masculinity, and the teacher a prize rather than a predator.
4. Criticism (justified or not) of Double Standards and Feminism
Some point out the hypocrisy: if the genders were reversed (33-year-old male teacher + 16-year-old female student), the outrage would be unanimous and immediate. They accuse feminism of staying silent when the victim is male.
Counter-voices, often women, reply:
- “It’s men who are laughing and congratulating the kid under the video, not feminists”
- “Why should women fight for boys when men themselves don’t care?”
- “It’s only rape when the perpetrator is a man?”
Conclusion: A Brutal Mirror of Gender Inequalities in How We View Rape
This case exposes a deep fracture: when the victim is a boy and the abuser an adult woman, a significant portion of society – and especially social media – refuses to see him as a victim. Apparent pleasure and stereotypes about teenage boys’ “luck” and triumphant virility outweigh the law and the need to protect minors.
Yet a 2025 study published in The Lancet reminds us of the reality: nearly one in seven men worldwide experiences sexual violence before age 18, and the psychological consequences are just as severe as for girls.
Beyond the memes and dark humour, this case should force us to demand the same severity and the same empathy for every child victim – regardless of their gender or the gender of their abuser.
Protecting children should never be a question of which “side” you’re on.
En savoir plus sur Gnatepe
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
