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.
Go to video
Syrian refugee alleges killings, rapes in Libya
01:15
South Africa: Fourteen miners charged over rape of eight women
01:22
South Africa’s gang rape incident is a “shame to nation” - Police chief
01:40
South Africa: Police makes 40 more arrests after gang rapes of eight women
02:24
Protests as more than 80 rape suspects appear at Jo'burg court
Go to video
Egypt: Death sentence for student's murder - judicial source