Presidential Declaration on Rape and Sexual Violence

Brief Description

Rape and Sexual Violence were declared as a National Emergency in February 2019 via a Presidential Declaration. The following directives were adopted as a part of this:
- All Government Hospitals must provide Free Medical Treatment and certificate to every victim of rape and sexual abuse.
- A Special Division for Rape and Sexual Penetration of Minors be created by the Sierra Leone Police to speedily handle all cases of Rape and Sexual Penetration of Minors. The new Special Division will be separate from the Family Support Unit. 
- The Chief Justice to consider creating a Special Division with assigned judges to deal with cases of Rape and Sexual Violence.
- With immediate effect, sexual penetration of minors is punishable by life imprisonment. 
- The High Court should consider 136 Proceedings in the High Court in order to speed up prosecution and trail of all new cases of Rape and Sexual Violence.
- Law Officers Department to consider charging all persons accused of Rape and Sexual Violence with an offence of “Aggravated Assault”. 
- A National Emergency Telephone Number be available to the public and dedicated to reporting Rape and Sexual Violence.
- Invest in training specialized police personnel, providing adequate forensic facilities, collecting and collating comprehensive sexual violence data, delivering free medical services to survivors, and catering for safe homes and psychosocial care for survivors.
- Government to engage communities and civil society in dialogues to eliminate the culture of compromise and silence around sexual violence.