This story about a trio of female rapists in Zimbabwe caught my attention.

When their car was involved in an accident on Friday, police found the women — Rosemary Chakwizira, 24, Sophie Nhokwara, 26, and her sister, Netsai Nhokwara, 24 — had a stash of 33 condoms containing semen.

So far, nothing unusual. But there’s more…

It seems the women had been targeting male hitchhikers over the past two years, either giving them a drink with a tranquilizer or raping them at gunpoint.

CNN spoke with a professor of sociology at the University of Zimbabwe who said:

Some sections of the society use these sperm for ritual purposes. The thinking is that it can be used for regeneration of life since they are source of life (biologically). Some people think that they can have their bad luck gone by using semen. I am sure that explains all this we have been witnessing (men being forced).

I’m reminded of a culture describe in the book “Sex at Dawn” where the women believed they were “building” a baby with each sex act (e.g. absorption of sperm.) Thus, by having sex with many men, their child would share these men’s traits.

It’s quite reasonable when you think about it.