In a few hours, a poster calling on the Senegalese government to act in the face of an increase in rapes and homicides went viral on X (formerly Twitter).
A virtual but resounding cry of alarm is shaking social networks in Senegal. An image created by a Senegalese Internet user and shared on his X account (formerly Twitter) went viral in a few hours, mobilizing several users around the fight against repetitive rape and violence against young girls.
The poignant poster, in the colors of the Senegalese flag, shows an outstretched hand displaying the green star, a symbol of protection, next to a frightened young girl.
The message is unequivocal: “ Protect our children » (Protect our children). An injunction directly calls on the authorities and citizens: “ Hey, you! Do something! » (Hey, you! Do something!).
This mobilization comes after a tragedy which shocked the country: the rape followed by the murder of a 12-year-old girl, a crime which joins a series of similar violence.
The text accompanying the image encourages collective action: “ Maybe you don’t have the words to express how you feel. Put this as your banner image for 7 days to ask the government to act and protect our children! »
In a few hours, thousands of Internet users adopted this image as their banner or shared it on their profiles, transforming this individual call into a real digital citizen movement.
Numerous messages of indignation and solidarity are multiplying under the hashtag #ProtégezOurEnfants, echoing an urgent request addressed to the Senegalese government.
« Cases of sexual violence are considered news items in this country. Everyone talks about it for at most 3 days. The silent big media, the silent authorities, the “big organizations” only hot reactions… How many girls/women are under threat per day? », asks Alassane.
Senegalese Internet users are calling for concrete measures: the implementation of prevention policies, strengthening education on the rights of children and women, and tougher penalties for sexual crimes.
« Beyond the protection of children, we also call for the protection of girls and women in this country. We do not want political answers from the government, but concrete measures to put an end to these atrocities », pleads Diéyna Diémé on X.
« Toughening the law is crucial, but insufficient. It is essential to break taboos around sexuality and also educate men, teaching them respect, consent and equality. Appropriate sex education, combined with strict laws, will enable more », writes @RuptureAct24, another X user.
ARD/SF/ac/APA
