Disir
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"Some of our families practice a culture of silence and indifference towards sexual violence, leaving victims even more traumatized," Bio told a crowd from the presidential office in Freetown. "We as a nation must stand up and address this scourge."
Sexual violence has long been a taboo topic in Sierra Leone. Though rape is a criminal offence, few cases are successfully prosecuted and sentences had ranged from five to a maximum of 15 years in prison.
But on Thursday, Bio upped the maximum sentence to life in prison for the rape of a minor.
"With immediate effect, sexual penetration of minors is punishable by life imprisonment," he said. One-third of all reported cases of rape in 2018 involved a minor, police statistics show.
Sierra Leone declares national rape emergency | DW | 07.02.2019
They are about to have tougher laws than the US. But, it took the rape of a five year old girl that left her paralyzed.
Sexual violence has long been a taboo topic in Sierra Leone. Though rape is a criminal offence, few cases are successfully prosecuted and sentences had ranged from five to a maximum of 15 years in prison.
But on Thursday, Bio upped the maximum sentence to life in prison for the rape of a minor.
"With immediate effect, sexual penetration of minors is punishable by life imprisonment," he said. One-third of all reported cases of rape in 2018 involved a minor, police statistics show.
Sierra Leone declares national rape emergency | DW | 07.02.2019
They are about to have tougher laws than the US. But, it took the rape of a five year old girl that left her paralyzed.
