The list of their names continues to grow. These women are abused and killed in atrocious conditions does not move the hearts of Senegalese. In a few days, 4 new victims were added to the list. But the country’s authorities remain silent, without empathy for the deep suffering experienced by more than half of the population.In the Muslim religion, a dead person is buried with only 7metres of white percale.It is this symbolism that the women of the Collective of Feminists of Senegal have chosen to use.In Ndar, where they met at the end of last week for the 2ndedition of the All-Women Forum (FEF), they reacted quickly to the announcement of yet another murder of a woman.Around this white cloth, they sat holding signs before writing the names of the last victims on this immaculate fabric.« These are human beings who have gone, » said Coumba Touré, one of the organisers.Her rant is understandable when we know that during this last week, no less than 4 cases of murder and attempted murder against women have been recorded.And this, in the greatest silence of the authorities and citizens of the country.According to Coumba Touré, author and feminist, the cup is full and women are fed up with all the violence their sisters suffer.In the period between January and November 2019 alone, 14 cases of murder of women were recorded by the Committee to Combat Violence against Women.Since then, it must be said, the list has grown even longer.This last week was the peak with the murder of 3 women and an attempted murder on another.FatouSamb, 17, abducted on her way to school, raped and killed, S. Barro, shot in the head at close range by her husband who would not let her leave a violent household where she spent the last 5 years.The year 2022 already started in the worst way for women in this country.In March 2022, Abass Sow tried to slit the throat of his second wife on the pretext that she had refused to join the marital home and did not want a child with him.She was narrowly saved by neighbours.A few days later, the country sank into a memorable hangover after the discovery of the body of student Seynabou Ka Diallo, who had disappeared a few days earlier.Her boyfriend eventually confessed to the murder.In May of the same year, criminals attacked Marième War, a 60-year-old woman who was raped and killed in TivaouanePeulh.Even outside the country, Senegalese women know no respite.In Casablanca, where she lived with her husband, FatoumataBaldé was killed in cold blood by him in front of her child.Also, in May of this year, the murder of Kiné Gaye, stabbed many times, plunged public opinion into turmoil.But very quickly, popular vindictiveness turns away from Khassim Ba, the murderer, to target the wife of the latter.Indeed, the murderer justifies his act by the desire to offer his wife a royal baptism.In July, the young NdèyeDiop was discovered dead in Touba, her body slipped into a barrel.AbdourahmaneMbacké, her killer, first stabbed her before strangling her to prevent the pregnancy he authored from being made public.But the victim’s father finally decides not to press charges.Even if it does not push public action, the gesture shocked public opinion.And last week, it was the macabre round of the headlines with the latest case of its kind, OumarSano who tried to disembowel his wife because she had filed for divorce.Faced with this macabre count, UN Women’s 2019 report on the state of femicide around the world makes sense.This report highlights that Africa is the region where women are most at risk of being killed by an intimate partner or family member, with a conjugal/family homicide rate of 3.1 per 100,000 females.And the donkey’s cap returns to Senegal.« In Africa, Senegal is considered the most dangerous country for women with a rate of 87% of victims, » notes the same report.By Mame Woury THIOUBOU / mamewoury@lequotidien.sn 

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH