Serious rape case that has been declared a national emergency

Image result for sierra leone president declares rape scourge emergency

What has the world turned into that gives the impression we are beyond hopless in situations that need hope ifwe aregoing to survive current battles.

The brutal rape of a young girl by her uncle in Sierra Leone became the rallying point for a campaign that pushed President Julius Maada Bio to declare the prevalence of sexual violence a national emergency.

The five-year-old girl, whose identity has been kept secret for her own safety, has been paralysed from the waist down since a 28-year-old male relative raped her a year ago, crushing her spine.“She may never walk again, and I want vengeance for what has happened,” her grandmother told reporters, sitting next to the girl in her wheelchair in a Freetown medical clinic.“The man who did this ruined her life and deserves to spend his life in prison.”

Image result for sierra leone president declares rape scourge emergency
Sierrra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio

The assault was one of many that have gone unpunished in Sierra Leone, where until now sexually-motivated crimes carried a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and few cases were successfully prosecuted.

Following months of campaigning by activists, the president declared a national emergency and said those convicted of sexual offences against minors would face life in prison.

“Some of our families practise a culture of silence and indifference towards sexual violence, leaving victims even more traumatised,” Bio told a crowd at the State House.“We as a nation must stand up and address this scourge.”

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