A ZAMBIAN actress who survived marital rape and violent assault in her marriage has turned her personal ordeal into a forceful call to action against gender-based violence, vowing that her children will never again witness the brutality she endured behind closed doors.
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Chungu Chintelelwe, a filmmaker and theatre creative who now uses art to confront social injustices, said the turning point came in 2022 when her four-year-old daughter woke up to screams, froze in fear and later asked ‘mummy, how is your eye? Is it okay for big people to punch someone?’
“That question broke me, I knew in that moment that my children would never again see their mother being treated like that,” she shared with #Kalemba in an interview.
Chungu had been living separately from her husband after some marital disputes in an effort to rebuild their relationship. But the arrangement collapsed when she brought him home temporarily after he claimed to be unwell and that night, she said, the situation turned violent.
According to her account, the husband removed his clothes while she slept, blocked her attempt to leave the room and declared his intention to force himself on her and when she resisted, he proceeded to rape her.
“The next morning, he wanted me to behave ok and move on with life just like that. When I attempted to leave the house, he threatened me saying no one would believe I was raped unless my injuries are visible.”
“He then began punching me ruthlessly, I screamed for help until my stepdaughter forced her way into the room, giving me a chance to escape with nothing but car key,” she shared.
Chungu shared that she was actually beaten in the presence of her youngest daughter.
She then reported the matter to the police, underwent medical examination and immediately filed for divorce.
The court dissolved the marriage during the first hearing and after reviewing her evidence.
But even after seeking justice, Chungu said she encountered the painful silence that surrounds marital rape in Zambia.
“When I shared my experience with some family members, they told me there is no such thing as marital rape in a marriage. That broke my heart especially that they couldn’t feel my pain. Many women are suffering in silence because of this belief,” she recalled.
Determined to speak out, she visited Young Women Christian Association to understand how widespread the problem is and learned that many women report marital rape, but cases rarely proceed because the law does not explicitly recognise it as a crime within marriage.
Unable to sit quietly, she channeled her experience into her craft by writing and producing a short film titled ‘Non Consensual,’ highlighting the emotional and psychological consequences of marital rape and the loneliness survivors face when society dismisses their experience.
As the world marked the 16-Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, Chungu noted that her mission is no longer just about her own healing but about changing the narrative for every woman trapped in harmful relationships.
“Three years later after my experience, I still break down whenever I talk about it, and that’s because I am still trying to heal from that trauma.”
“GBV steals lives long before it kills. I urge every woman to speak out during this period, we must end it. Our children deserve a world where love never looks like violence,” added Chungu.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba December 3, 2025
