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Sierra Leone declares national emergency over rape [The Morning Call]

The Morning Call

Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio recently declared rape and sexual violence a “national emergency” in the country.

This follows a series of recorded cases involving minors that doubled over the last year.

According to the president, perpetrators of such crimes will face up to life imprisonment and that all public hospitals should provide free medical services for victims of sexual assault.

He also announced the formation of a new police division dedicated to investigating sexual violence, a special magistrate court that would handle such cases and a public hotline specifically for reporting sexual violence.

The president also noted that thousands of cases go unreported because of a culture of silence or indifference.

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The Morning Call

The Morning Call is about you. We want to share your opinions on our programme. If you want to contribute to The Morning Call, here are the best ways to get in touch : For more details on how to contribute, click here.