For the first time in its history, the self-declared republic of Somaliland has passed a law against rape. In the past, a victim’s family could force them to marry their rapist to avoid being shamed.
Rapists now stand to face at least 30 years in prison under the new law.
Somaliland’s Speaker of Parliament, Bashe Mohamed Farah, said that rape cases have risen and he hoped the new law would help stop that trend.
Unlike the rest of Somalia, where women avoid reporting crimes to law enforcement agencies, women in Somaliland are increasingly reporting their cases to hospitals and police. Hospitals are now creating counselling for victims of sexual attacks. Activists say women in Somaliland are aware of the new services and more likely to seek help or report when they have been raped.
“The main emphasis of the new act is to completely stop rape.”
The new law has come in after years of lobbying by children and women’s rights advocates.
