Senegalese women fear rights setback over Sonko rape trial

A rape case against Senegal’s most prominent opposition leader has appalled feminists in the country, who now fear their case has been dealt a lasting blow.

After a politicized trial marked by bawdy headlines, the West African state is bracing for possible violence on Thursday when the verdict is expected to be announced.

The case revolves around Ousmane Sonko, a hot-tempered politician whose attacks on Senegal’s elite have attracted a huge following among young people. The 48-year-old is accused of raping Adij Sarr, 23, a beauty salon employee, and making death threats against her. He has denied the allegations.

Ahead of Thursday’s hearing, he called on the public to protest en masse.

Some feminists said the two-year-old case sidestepped a rare opportunity to advance the rights of victims of sexual assault. Others feared it would mark a backward step in the West African state’s long struggle for women’s empowerment.

“This process is a huge setback that will leave its mark on the history of women’s rights,” said Aminata Libain Mbengue of the Feminists’ Network of Senegal (RFS).

Death threats

Sonko says the case is part of a plot by President Macky Sall to undermine his ambitions for the 2024 election. His critics call him a troublemaker trying to evade justice.

When Sonko was indicted in 2021, rioting and looting broke out, killing a dozen people.

Sarr was forced into hiding after relentless threats and insults. Now she only leaves her house under police escort.

“Whatever the verdict, [she] has already received life imprisonment,” said Mbengue. “She has lost all freedom.”

Victim-shaming and culture of silence

Activists said the process has overruled or sidelined the rights of women and victims of sexual violence as an issue. Not only have campaigners been threatened by Sonko supporters, but many feel that the cause has also not received more attention and support from Sarr himself.

Her appearance has been widely attacked as vulgar and her testimony as crude, leading to headlines such as “X-rated” and “like a porn movie” in the conservative Muslim country.

“Rape is a very painful ordeal,” and the victims “are ashamed and hide their faces,” said journalist Amy Wane. Sarr, on the other hand, has been criticized for “flaunting herself” on social media and appearing in court in a “tight red dress”.

Sociologist Rosalie Aduayi Diop, a specialist in sexual violence, described the trial as “theater”. She criticized the justice system, saying the process is revealing its limits and brimming with “untruths from all sides”.

On Friday, the feminist collective RFS released a rack Sonko and the government of Senegal, which says it continues to deprive women of their rights.

“The struggle for women’s rights in Senegal remains a struggle that is certainly endless, but from which we will not retreat at any time,” the statement read.

Despite the country criminalizing rape in 2019, activists said survivors face many obstacles, including cumbersome procedures, unsupported treatment for their traumas and the scarcity of shelters.

Rape remains a taboo in Senegal, and Diop said most victims are ignorant of the law and a “culture of silence” persists.

“We always try to resolve things within the family,” she said, both to preserve family ties and to avoid “stigmatization” of victims.

Some activists said Sarr’s testimony did not dispel all doubts about the allegations against Sonko.

However, Sonko’s condescending language and his “normalization” of sexual violence have been fully condemned. “If I wanted to rape a woman, I wouldn’t choose a brain-damaged monkey,” he said.

In its statement, RFS said Sonko’s comments perpetuate the damaging stereotype of a “perfect rape victim.”

“All persons, regardless of their background and status, can be victims of rape,” it says.

The group said that the fact that Sonko’s words were eagerly received and admired by a population composed mostly of young people was of great concern, especially to rape survivors.