Rights -- Swaziland: women call for stiff penalties for rape

Swazi women, alarmed by a high incidence of rape in the country, are campaigning for stiffer penalties, including life imprisonment and death sentences, on convicted rapists. Launched last week, the campaign also aims to persuade magistrates and judges not to grant bail or an option of fines to people convicted of rape charges. The campaign is led by the Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA), Lutsango Lwakangwane, the country's women organization, the King's women regiment, and the Swaziland and Mental Health Society. The increasing cases of sexual assault in this tiny kingdom of 700,000 people are alarming, while the maximum sentence for those convicted ranges from 2 to 5 years. About 10 women, including a 12-year-old school girl, were raped in the first 2 weeks of this year alone, the police say. At least 30 other women, and a 5-year-old girl, were raped--some fatally--between May and September.