Why has Sierra Leone declared rape a national emergency?
Declaration by country’s president throws spotlight on ‘scourge’ of abuse suffered by women and girls that often goes unreported to police.
“The man who did this ruined her life and deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison.”
The grandmother of a five-year-old child who was left paralysed after being raped by a male relative is among the many voices urging major action to tackle rape and sexual assault in Sierra Leone. Now president Julius Maada Bio has declared the prevalence of sexual violence a national emergency, saying that “we as a nation must stand up and address this scourge”. As part of the effort to tackle the crisis, Bio has announced a new police division dedicated to sexual violence reports, along with a special court focusing on such cases. He also said those found guilty of sexual assault of minors will face life imprisonment. His declaration follows the launch in December 2018 of a campaign called ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ by first lady Fatima Maada Bio, which is aimed at stopping gender-based violence against girls in West Africa.
While the president’s announcement was heralded as a welcome step by advocates for sexual abuse survivors, the scale of the emergency is sobering. More than 12,000 gender-based violence cases were recorded by Sierra Leone Police in 2017, in a country of 7.5 million people, but legal and health advocacy groups say the vast majority of actual attacks are not reported. The problem is so endemic that 45 per cent of women face physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence during their lifetime.
The Stream will examine what is behind the rise in sexual assault and rape in Sierra Leone, the efforts to give voice to those who have endured the impact of an attack, and what action is needed to tackle the pervasiveness of sexual violence. Join the conversation.
On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Vickie Remoe @VickieRemoe
Producer, The Vickie Remoe Show & founder, Sister Circles SL
facebook.com
Agatha Levi @AgathaAdaLevi1
Representative, Rainbo Initiative
rainboinitiative.sl
Fatmata Sorie @sorie_fatmata
President, L.A.W.Y.E.R.S
facebook.com
Read more:
Sierra Leone’s President Declared Rape A National Emergency. What Happens Now? – NPR
Soaring sexual violence pushes Sierra Leone to face ‘rape culture’ – Mail and Guardian