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Africa News of Wednesday, 5 February 2020

Source: bbc.com

Attacked Malawian woman says country does not protect women

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A Malawian woman, captured in a viral video being assaulted by a group of men, has told the BBC's OS programme that it was "disgusting" her country does not protect women.

Vanessa Chilango, 38, says she was accosted by the men when she went to a market in Blantyre.

They then tried to strip her because they were apparently offended by how she was dressed.

“I wasn’t naked. I was dressed up. I was in a miniskirt with a top. I wasn’t showing inner parts of my body," she said.

Ms Chilango, who has four children, said no one came to help her.

“Guys started robbing me. They cut my fingers; they beat me all over my body. It was swollen. Nobody was helping me. People surrounding me were only clapping their hands and shouting."

She added that she was called "a prostitute and a whore".

Ms Chilango told BBC OS that police had made arrests in connection with the attack.

"My plan is to make myself become strong because I am a woman with kids. The kids are looking after me. So I’m trying to move forward with my life," she said.