Sexual abuse prompts Senegalese legal reforms

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Growing numbers of girls in Senegal are being raped, with abuse often happening while they are at school.

"I wanted to be a lawyer, that was my dream," says a young Senegalese girl, smiling.

But her facial expression suddenly changes: "I couldn't carry on studying because of what they did to me."

Another young rape victim interjects: "People ask how I managed to get pregnant so young. I want some medicine to get rid of this pregnancy."

Their perpetrators face trial, but these young girls' lives have been shattered.

Statistics show a dramatic increase in the incidence of sexual abuse in the predominantly Muslim country, says Adama Sow, of the Group for Research and Action against Child Rape (Grave).

In 2007 there were 450 reported rapes. By 2008 the figure had shot up to 600.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8318133.stm