Get to the bottom of rape allegations

For a few days now on Twitter, several young women have shared their experiences of being sexually abused. In the telling, some of their alleged abusers have been named. As has become commonplace with social media, the gravity of this conversation has become tainted with insults, name calling and crass jokes. This is unfortunate.

Rape and any other form of sexual abuse is a serious matter. For the abused, it means living with the effects of the abuse or assault. For the accused abuser, it should mean facing the law in all its fullness. Article 123 of The Penal Code Act Chapter 120 provides definition of rape and states that any person who has unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or girl, without her consent has committed rape.

A person who has unlawful carnal knowledge with her consent, but the consent is obtained by force, means of threats, intimidation of any kind, or by fear of bodily harm also commits the felony of rape. Rape also includes false representations as to the nature of the act, or in the case of a married woman, by personating her husband.

A person who commits rape is liable to suffer death. Any person who attempts to commit rape commits a felony and is liable to imprisonment for life with or without corporal punishment.

However, on social media, some of the women sharing their experiences are being shamed and accused of ‘asking for it’. This blame-game is not new to our society and it brings to mind the words of Uganda’s former Youth Minister Ronald Kibuule, who said: “I have talked to the police to see that if a woman is raped they look at how she was dressed. Most women currently dress very poorly, especially the youth. If she is dressed poorly and is raped, no one should be arrested.”

This kind of response means that more women will be afraid to speak up when they are abused and also compounds the psychological torment these women have already gone through.

Meanwhile, some of the accused are being named, complete with their photos. Not all of them though. There is a lot of talk about powerful and influential men who many are afraid of naming.
As many have pointed out, these accusations can only take root if cases are filed against these people, and they are found guilty.

However, there are also narrations of men who were allegedly reported to the police, only for the cases to stall or get dropped completely, without explanation. Such occurrences have made people cynical about the justice system with good reason.

Yet there is no escaping the system if justice is to prevail. This is a good time for the legal fraternity and all concerned authorities to get to the bottom of these accusations. To truly pursue all the issues that arise in the wake of sexual abuse accusations.

From the abused being shamed to fears of individuals being witch-hunted, these are issues that should be broached with the care and precision that social media, despite its merits, cannot provide.