In Senegal, the debate on the application of the law criminalizing rape and pedophilia has returned to the table since January 2020. It all started after the rape complaint from a 15-year-old girl against the son of a well-known journalist, the young man who is currently under arrest. The Senegalese feminist collective was mobilized on Saturday, July 3, in Dakar to support all women victims of violence and feminism and to call for justice to apply the new law.
as reported from Dakar, Thea Ollivier
Several dozen women gathered in Place de la Nation in Dakar, dressed in white and purple, holding signs. “The rape is raging!” “No to omerta! “The scandalous slogan calls for support for all victims of violence, indicates a feminist gift, Coumba Ndiaye.” The first reason is to fight the injustice done to women, especially rape. It has been criminalized but its application is not effective. A law is made to be applied and not left in the boxes. “
But the obstacles to filing a complaint are many, explains Fernanda Ramos De Almeida, a former member of the historical feminist organization “Yeewu yewi”. “People call it ‘soutoureu’, which means to keep yourself out of the eyes of others. “People are silent. Every time you ask the young lady, the victim, ” what was your attitude and how were you dressed? ” “
Aïssatou Sène, spokesman for the collective of feminists in Senegal, is ready for the weak mobilization. “It is normal that there are not many people because the woman’s voice is not listened to. When you are a feminist, you are called by many other names. Unfortunately, many young women do not want to be associated with us, but the work we do will benefit them all. ”
According to the Ministry of Justice, 512 cases of rape and pedophilia have been registered since the adoption of the Criminalization Act in January 2020.
.
