Judicial systems in Senegal and France face sexual violence case backlogs

Judicial systems in Senegal and France are facing significant crises regarding the handling of sexual violence cases. In Senegal, the Pikine-Guédiawaye court is experiencing a critical backlog, with approximately fifty rape cases pending. Some suspects have reportedly been detained for at least three years without trial. This congestion is attributed to a severe shortage of judicial personnel; the country has only 436 magistrates against an estimated need for 1,324. In the Pikine-Guédiawaye jurisdiction, only nine judges are currently in post despite a requirement for 23.

In France, a major scandal has emerged involving a “phantom stock” of thousands of sexual violence files against minors that were never transmitted to the justice system. An examination of 70,000 complaints revealed that numerous procedures held by police and gendarmerie services remained unknown to prosecutors. Significant discrepancies were noted in cities such as Nîmes, Caen, and Agen, with some files in Bourges being described as “purely and simply lost.” This failure has sparked intense debate between the Ministry of Justice and police unions regarding structural malfunctions within the investigative services.