The Girls Brigade Zambia, a Christian based Organization has described the surge in sex videos mostly involving young girls circulating across social media platforms, as a result of growing impact of poverty and broken homes.
The Organization warns that these systemic social issues are driving girls and young women into dangerous illicit activities, which not only put their dignity and future at risk, but also reflects deeper social issues that require a holistic response.
Speaking in an interview with RCV News in Lusaka today, Girls Brigade President, Eunice Chirwa, noted that many young people are vulnerable due to economic hardship and unstable family structures.
“These conditions push them into risky behavior as a way of survival and some are coerced into filming explicit content for money or peer validation without fully understanding the long-term damage,” said Ms. Chirwa.
Ms. Chirwa stressed that increased digital access, when not matched with proper education and supervision, can be dangerous stating that what is shared online lasts forever and can haunt the girls for the rest of their lives.
She also said there is need for a comprehensive approach that includes increased sensitization on the dangers of engaging in illicit activities, especially when recorded and circulated on digital platforms.
Ms. Chirwa has further urged stakeholders including schools, churches, and community groups to intensify awareness campaigns tailored to the realities young people face today, emphasizing the importance of involving the youth in planning and designing programs aimed at protecting them.
By Margaret Mwanza