One day things are normal and running as usual, your son does the unthinkable, that cause dismay and tarnishes the family name, and becoming a disgrace to the country as well. “The man who did this ruined her life and deserves to spend his life in prison.” these were words that sounded so bitter from a grandmother who was in disbelief after a brutal rape of her grandchild by her uncle in Sierra Leone. The saga became the rallying point for a campaign that on Thursday 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 paralyzed from the waist down since a 28-year-old uncle raped her a year ago, crushing her spine. “She may never walk again, and I want vengeance for what has happened,” said her grandmother, sitting next to the girl in her wheelchair in a Freetown medical clinic.
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 offenses against minors would face life in prison. He also announced the formation of a dedicated police division to investigate reports of sexual violence, as well as a special magistrates’ court that would fast-track cases.
“Some of our families practice a culture of silence and indifference towards sexual violence, leaving victims even more traumatized,” Bio told a crowd at the State House.
We as a nation must stand up and address this scourge. What is your take?