Child Rape Demands Iron-Clad Laws

Pain. That is what comes to mind, at the thought of any rape case, especially that of a child. Pain, in every sense of the word. Especially when one considers the reality that most of the time, the perpetrators of such gruesome acts in Cameroon will escape the clutches of the justice system. While their victims face the daunting prospect of living with unwanted pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI), and lifelong physical, emotional and psychological scars, these fiends go scot-free, their life-altering acts often having been silenced by shame, family pressure, or “amicable settlements,” which exchange a child’s right to justice for some derisory bucks. And even when a perpetrator finally makes it to court, the law stipulates that the scoundrel can only go in for a sentence of between 5 to 10 years of imprisonment. After he is out of jail, he can live the good life while the unfortunate victims, get to live everyday with the memory of that ordeal and the contaminations it brought, the subsequent unwanted pregnancy and its outcome, the social stigma attached to being raped, the alterations to their personalities, goals and ultimately their choices in life. Five years of imprisonment for someone who willingly and consciously brings such a fate to bear on the life of another human being is simply a mockery of what justice should be. For years, child sexual abuse was whispered within corridors, hidden behind cultural taboos and shielded in the confines of family consultations. However, the recent reports of increasingly horrific incidences happening around the nation, have pushed public anger and frustration to their breaking points. The tragic rape and murder of 11-year-old Divine Mbarga Atangana in the Nkoabang neighbourhood of Yaounde last March, the alleged sexual assault of a three-year-old child in a school in Yaounde recently, are just two of the many cases which show that the safety nets meant to protect minors in their homes and classrooms are failing woefully. Data from the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and the Family highlights a chilling reality: the vast majority of perpetrators are not strangers lurking in the dark, but rather people whom the victims trusted, such as neighbours, teachers, and even family members. The situation is heartbreaking, especially when one considers the distress in the hearts and the anguish in the souls of these innocent victims. And the phenomenon seems to be on the rise, with each passing day. The Government seems to be stepping up efforts to combat sexual violence against children, but for now, the results are not visible. Recently, there was an unprecedented show of force, in which seven Government ministries vowed to implement “an era of no impunity” for rapists, in a joint press conference; whatever that implies, the people of Cameroon are eagerly waiting to see. Last month, the Cameroon Bar Association announced the creation of a special unit that will offer free legal assistance to child rape victims and their families; that is a good step, but not nearly enough to curb the flow of this vice. Even the headquarters of the Police department has announced the rollout of specialised “Child Desks” at police stations, to act as “safe spaces” and an active helpline for children in distress. But it is not clear how this will help in discouraging people with rapist tendencies. What is not right, though, is the fact that legislators continue to maintain the dispositions of Ar...