By: Nyima Sillah
Scores of Women Rights Activists have welcomed the criminalization of marital rape which was proposed by the National Human Rights Commission earlier this year and many described as inhumane.
Awa Gai, a Feminist, and a Women’s Right Lawyer welcomed the pronouncement describing marital rape as inhuman and therefore should be criminalized.
“I believe consent is very important in every relationship and when we talk about consent, we talk about consent between the two parties. If we are talking about protecting women, and upholding their rights marital rape is one of those things we need to consider criminalizing in other to uphold women’s human rights,” she explained.
She continued: “Sexual assault anywhere, in any form should be illegal. Condoning sexual assault under the disguise of marriage breeds a society that silences women, thus increasing the violation of women’s human rights and that shouldn’t be the reality for our girls.”
Zahra Jarju another activist for Think Young Women, also said the criminalization of marital rape is a good move by the NHRC, which she has been the fight for most of the activists.
“This is happening on a daily basis, especially with women that are lactating or from labor their husbands force them to have sex with them. This will cause them to have diseases or even a fistula and the wife will suffer the consequences.”
Other activists that welcomed the move include Yadicon Njie Eribo and Fabian Ina Grant-Sagnia all called for urgent actions to consider the proposal by the National Human Rights Commission so as to protect the rights of women.