Break the Chain of Sexual Violence against Women in Cameroon Interviews 1

100% of the responsibility for any act of sexual violence lies with its perpetrator. There is no excuse for sexual violence – it can never be justified, it can never be explained away and there is no context in which it is valid, understandable or acceptable and should never be tolerated. It is a crime!
Rape – Section 296: Whoever by force or moral ascendancy compels any female whether above or below the age of puberty to have sexual intercourse with him shall be punished with imprisonment for from five to ten years.
Forced Marriage – Section 356: Whoever compels anyone to marry shall be punished with imprisonment for from five years to ten years and with fine of from twenty five thousand to one million francs.
Moral Danger – Section 345: Whoever having by law or by custom custody of a person under eighteen years of age allows him to reside or work in an establishment where prostitution is habitually practiced, or to work in a prostitute’s house shall be punished with imprisonment for from fifteen days to six months and with fine of from ten thousand to one hundred thousand francs.

Protection for victims: Under section 84 of the penal code it is a lawful defence where a victim in reasonable apprehension of rape or sodomy kills or maims her attacker. On the other hand, where a woman finds herself pregnant as a result of rape she is entitled to an abortion. However, if she gives birth to the child, the rapist is barred from recognizing the child and stripped of any parental access.
In the case “Ministère Public C/ MOHAMADOU SANI, ZANABOU, BALA SEIDOU” at the Court of First Instance in Ngaoundéré (criminal Judgment Nr. 404 of 12 May 2003), the parents of the victim who was a 16 year old secondary school student sequestered her and tried to force her to marry an older man who was already married. Having been rescued by the Regional Delegate of Social Affairs for the Adamaoua, the matter was reported to the State Counsel who opened investigations and prosecution for attempted forced marriage and sequestration.

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