A community sensitisation campaign against rape in Tiko has brought renewed attention to the hidden realities of sexual violence, survivor protection and the urgent need for stronger child safeguarding systems in Cameroon.
Over the past few weeks, the team behind the Survivors Against Rape, SUVAR 2026, project has been working in Tiko, extending its campaign beyond schools and into communities where cases of sexual violence are often buried under fear, stigma and silence.
As part of the latest phase of the project, the team visited the Toll Gate and Mudeka communities, engaging more than 75 participants, including 20 men and 55 young women and girls. The sessions focused on rape prevention, community responsibility, survivor protection and the need to support victims with dignity rather than shame.
Through focus group discussions, participants examined the causes of rape, its devastating effects on survivors and families, and practical steps communities can take to prevent abuse. The conversations also highlighted the role of parents, traditional and religious leaders, law enforcement officers, civil society organisations and ordinary citizens in building safer spaces for women and children.
Poverty and dependency identified as risk factors
According to the organisers, the discussions revealed that advocacy alone is not enough to tackle sexual violence. Many participants identified poverty, dependency and lack of economic opportunities as factors that can increase vulnerability, especially among women and girls.
In response, the SUVAR 2026 team introduced alternative livelihood activities and skills training as part of the campaign. The initiative is aimed at promoting economic independence and helping vulnerable community members build more secure futures for themselves and their families.
The organisers said the experience was transformative, not only for the participants but also for the team leading the campaign. They noted that the sessions showed the importance of empathy, open conversation and community-driven solutions in breaking the silence around rape and supporting survivors on the path to healing.
Eight-year-old allegedly raped days before campaign visit
However, one account shared during the community engagement brought the urgency of the campaign into sharper focus.
During one of the sessions, a parent reportedly revealed that their eight-year-old daughter had been raped just two days before the team’s visit. The disclosure left participants in shock, with many reportedly breaking down in tears as the reality of sexual violence against children became painfully immediate.
The alleged perpetrator, identified by the family as a 42-year-old man, had reportedly been arrested and transferred to the Buea Central Prison. But according to the organisers, the child’s family had not received any support after the incident.
They said the parents were struggling to buy medication prescribed by a gynaecologist because they could not afford it. The SUVAR 2026 team later stepped in to support the child with the medication.
The case has raised difficult questions about how many survivors, particularly children, are left without timely medical care, psychosocial support or proper follow-up after abuse.
Call for justice and stronger survivor support
Following the incident, the organisers are calling on community leaders, policymakers, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations, development partners and members of the public to take stronger action against rape and child sexual abuse.
They are demanding justice for survivors, accountability for perpetrators, accessible medical and psychosocial support, stronger child protection systems and safer communities for women and children.
The campaigners say rape must not be treated as a private tragedy or a family matter to be hidden, but as a community crisis and a human rights issue that requires collective action.
“Silence protects perpetrators. Awareness protects communities. Decisive action protects lives,” the organisers said, stressing that every child deserves to grow up free from fear, violence and abuse.
The SUVAR 2026 project, supported by REWOCAM, Global Pearls Inc and EME’s Empowerment Hub, says it remains committed to amplifying the voices of survivors, supporting vulnerable families and working with communities to end rape and sexual violence.
For the organisers, the story of the eight-year-old survivor is not just a heartbreaking case. It is a reminder that when communities fail to act, children suffer in silence, families are left alone, and perpetrators continue to thrive behind stigma and fear.