Women journalists commend Govt on “rape” response

An organization of women journalists has commended the decision by President Ernest Bai Koroma to sack his deputy minister of education shortly after he had been arrested on allegations of rape. In a statement Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL)  lauded “the stance taken by the president…and his government in ensuring that the rule of law applies in the ongoing rape matter” against Mahmoud Tarawallie who was charged yesterday on four counts bordering on rape and wounding. “Women are an integral part of society and play a very crucial role towards nation building” the statement continues, asking that the sexual rights of women be respected and any violation should be met with “the required penalties regardless of who the perpetrator is”. They urged the courts “to ensure a fair trial” in this and other sexual assaults and rape cases and for the respect of the privacy of the alleged survivor and all other survivors of sexual offences “as rape is probably the most atrocious human rights violation that causes severe physical and psychological damage to survivors”. The statement continues that “backlog of cases in police or court must be treated with equal seriousness as the effect of rape is unarguably the same regardless of who perpetrates it”. (C) Politico 17/09/13