Dozens of female demonstrators took to the streets in Dakar, Senegal to denounce Senegal’s justice system and protest gender-based violence.
This protest follows the sexual assault case of 15-year old Louise who was raped by her 19-year old schoolmate and was subjected to the horror of having the video circulated via WhatsApp. Alongside media condemnation and protests, the hashtag #JusticePourLouise has been trending as thousands stand in solidarity with Louise
Although in 2020 Senegal passed a bill criminalizing rape with a minimum sentence of 10-year imprisonment for perpetrators, sexual violence against women continues to be an epidemic in the West African country
Aissatou Sène, spokeswoman at the protest held at the Place de la Nation, Dakar said “We expect the state to provide structures, shelters, and everything needed to support victims. What we want from the state today is for women, who make up more than half the population, to feel safe. We are here for all the “Louise”, we are especially here for a “Louise” who was raped, filmed and this pornographic film of a minor was shared and the author did not worry until we, the feminists, denounced it. The trigger is this violence that Senegalese women are subjected to. If justice and the law were applied and rapists received the sentences they deserved, we wouldn’t be here today.”
