When rape becomes a crime
Senegal in West Africa recently introduced much tougher sentences for rape. Has this change in the law been effective in deterring sexual violence against women?
Senegal in West Africa recently introduced much tougher sentences for rape. Until 2019 it was deemed a misdemeanour rather than a serious crime and anyone convicted was often released after a few years, or even a few months. Myriam Francois meets rape survivors and both female and male campaigners to see if the new law is changing the lives of women for the better. Myriam hears how the stigma around rape has in the past prevented many women from coming forward to report sexual violence and how the police are opening new facilities to support women. She visits the country’s first Senegalese run hostel for victims of domestic violence. And she meets the pop star who caused a storm when she revealed her own experience of sexual assault.
Producer Bob Howard
(Image: Woman walking alone in St. Louise, Senegal. Credit: roripalazzo.com/Getty)
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- Thu 26 May 2022 01:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
- Thu 26 May 2022 08:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
- Thu 26 May 2022 12:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only
- Thu 26 May 2022 19:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
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