Consent and age of consent
The Code pénal (Penal Code), reformed in 2016, protects minors against sexual offences and increases the penalties when the perpetrator has authority over the victim — a teacher, a family member or another person in a position of power; early marriage remains the main risk, marital rape is rarely an offence in its own right in the region, and in practice everything turns on the medical certificate and the first 72 hours. For British nationals, UK law — age of consent 16 — also reaches sexual offences against children committed abroad.
The Code pénal protects minors against sexual offences (atteintes sexuelles); in the penal codes of the region the ages of protection most often lie between 16 and 18, and the penalties are increased when the perpetrator has authority over the victim — as a teacher, a family member or in another position of power. Several countries of the region have adopted specific laws on gender-based violence in recent years. Early marriage is the main risk factor, since in practice it takes young girls out of the scope of protection; human rights organisations call for a minimum marriage age of 18 for both spouses. Marital rape (viol conjugal) is rarely made an offence in its own right in the region. The difficulty lies less in the texts than in their application: medical evidence that is hard to obtain, family arrangements (arrangements familiaux) and courts that are far away. The medical certificate (certificat médical) is required in practice and is sometimes charged for, which is a real obstacle; associations often obtain it free of charge. For minor victims, the social services and the centres de promotion sociale (social welfare centres) can refer the case to the juge des enfants (children's judge); brigades de protection des mineurs (units for the protection of minors) and specialised police units exist, and one-stop centres (guichets uniques) bringing together health care, police and legal support are being developed. The Penal Code applies throughout the country, in the English-speaking North-West and South-West regions as elsewhere.
In Cameroon, protection in practice depends on a few steps: going quickly to a health facility, obtaining a written certificate, being supported by an association. The 72 hours after an assault count twice — for the medical evidence and for the preventive HIV treatment, which no longer works afterwards — and medical care does not depend on making a complaint. Family arrangements do not replace a complaint and do not protect the victim; it is the associations that bring cases to a conclusion, because they know the procedures and follow the files through. British nationals assaulted in Cameroon can also turn to the British High Commission in Yaoundé, which covers Chad, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea as well: according to the FCDO's guidance, its staff can help arrange a medical examination, by a female doctor where possible, and a consultation with a doctor who can advise on HIV and on pregnancy, go to the police station with the victim depending on the place and time, provide lists of local lawyers and interpreters and put her in touch with Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis, which offers online support to British women and girls abroad; they cannot collect evidence or investigate. Irish citizens contact the Department of Foreign Affairs.
UK law sets the age of consent at 16 throughout the UK; in Ireland it is 17. In England and Wales a person consents only if he or she agrees by choice and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice (Sexual Offences Act 2003, section 74), and rape within marriage has been a crime since the House of Lords' judgment in R v R in 1991. These rules travel with British nationals: under section 72 of the same Act, as amended, a UK national or UK resident who commits a sexual offence abroad can, subject to certain conditions, be prosecuted in the UK, whatever the victim's age and even where the act is not an offence in the country where it was committed. By contrast, UK police have no jurisdiction to investigate an attack on a British victim in Cameroon: they can pass the information on, but the Cameroonian authorities decide whether to investigate, which is why reporting before leaving is far more effective. Cameroonians living in the UK — many of them from the English-speaking regions — have the same rights as any victim there: sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) provide free medical care and forensic examinations, in England the treatment of conditions caused by sexual violence is free for everyone, overseas visitors included, and Rape Crisis services are free. In England and Wales the minimum age of marriage has been 18 without exception since 27 February 2023, and causing a child to marry is an offence, including when the marriage is arranged abroad.
Key points
| Protection of minors | In the Code pénal; ages of protection in the region's penal codes mostly between 16 and 18 |
|---|---|
| Authority, teacher, family member | Aggravating circumstances |
| Early marriage | Main risk factor: in practice it takes girls out of the scope of protection |
| Marital rape | Rarely an offence in its own right in the region |
| Medical certificate | Required in practice, sometimes charged for; often free through an association |
| 72 hours | Decisive for HIV prophylaxis and for the quality of the samples |
| Specialised units | Brigades de protection des mineurs and specialised police units |
| One-stop centres | Health care, police and legal support under one roof, being developed |
| Minor victims | The social services and the centres de promotion sociale can refer the case to the juge des enfants |
| British and Irish nationals | Age of consent 16 in the UK, 17 in Ireland; UK nationals and residents can be prosecuted in the UK for sexual offences committed abroad, against children as against adults (Sexual Offences Act 2003, section 72, as amended); FCDO consular support after an assault, no investigation |
In practice
- Go as quickly as possible to the nearest health centre or district hospital (hôpital de district) for an examination and a certificate, within 72 hours if you can — this time limit also governs access to preventive HIV treatment; medical care does not require a complaint.
- Have the certificate drawn up in writing and keep a copy away from home.
- Report to the police or the gendarmerie; where a child is concerned, the brigades de protection des mineurs and the specialised police units deal with it.
- Ask an association to support you: associations often obtain a free certificate and follow the case through — that is what brings cases to a conclusion.
- For minor victims, the social services and the centres de promotion sociale can refer the case to the juge des enfants.
- British nationals contact the British High Commission in Yaoundé or the FCDO (+44 20 7008 5000) for consular support: help with a medical examination, lists of lawyers and interpreters, contact with support services.
- Back in the UK, go to a GP, a sexual health clinic or a sexual assault referral centre (SARC); Rape Crisis England and Wales answers on 0808 500 2222. You can report to the UK police, who should send the information to Cameroon, but it is for the Cameroonian authorities to decide whether to investigate.
Cost and coverage
Reporting is free. The medical certificate is sometimes charged for — a real obstacle — but an association can often obtain it free of charge; add the journeys to the health facility, the police and the court, which can be far away outside the cities. In the UK, SARCs provide free medical care and forensic examinations, Rape Crisis services are free, and in England the treatment of conditions caused by sexual violence is free for everyone. FCDO consular support is free, but the FCDO does not pay medical or legal costs; travel insurance may cover personal injury resulting from a crime, usually on condition that it was reported to the local police.
Recent changes
Regional organisations, notably through the Maputo Protocol, are pressing for a common age of protection of 18 and for an effective ban on child marriage; the one-stop centres that bring together health care, police and legal support are being developed. In England and Wales, the minimum age of marriage was raised to 18 without exception on 27 February 2023, and causing a child to marry became an offence.
Where to go
- Police and gendarmerie; brigades de protection des mineurs and specialised police units.
- Health centres, district hospitals and centres de santé de référence (referral health centres): certificate and HIV prophylaxis.
- Associations defending the rights of women and children, cliniques juridiques (law clinics) and victim support associations; the social services and centres de promotion sociale for minors.
- British High Commission in Yaoundé and the FCDO (+44 20 7008 5000): consular support, lists of lawyers and interpreters; Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis (online support for British women and girls abroad); in the UK, SARCs, Rape Crisis England and Wales (0808 500 2222) and the Forced Marriage Unit; Irish citizens: Department of Foreign Affairs.
Worth knowing
The 72 hours after an assault count twice: for the medical evidence, and for HIV prophylaxis, which no longer works afterwards. Go to the health facility before even deciding whether to report — care does not require it. And for British nationals: the UK age of consent of 16 does not stay at home — sexual activity with a child under 16 in Cameroon can be prosecuted in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
I was sexually assaulted in Cameroon: what should I do first?
Go to a health centre or a hospital at once, within 72 hours if possible: you will be examined, the evidence recorded and, if necessary, preventive HIV treatment started, which no longer works afterwards — no complaint is needed for that. Ask for a written certificate and keep a copy away from home. A women's rights or victim support association can obtain a free certificate and accompany you to the police or the gendarmerie. British nationals can also contact the British High Commission in Yaoundé or the FCDO, which can help with the examination and give lists of English-speaking lawyers and interpreters; back in the UK, a sexual assault referral centre or Rape Crisis can support you.
Does the UK age of consent apply to me as a British national living in Cameroon?
Yes. The age of consent is 16 throughout the UK, and under section 72 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 a British national who commits a sexual offence against a child abroad can be prosecuted in the UK, whatever the local law. Cameroonian law applies as well: the Code pénal protects minors and punishes perpetrators with authority — teachers, family members — more severely. Marriage changes nothing: in England and Wales nobody under 18 can marry, and causing a child to marry is an offence, including when the marriage is arranged abroad.
A young relative in Cameroon is to be married as a minor: what can be done?
Early marriage is the main risk factor, because in practice it takes girls out of the scope of protection; human rights and regional organisations, relying on the Maputo Protocol, call for a minimum age of 18 for both spouses. For a minor, the social services and the centres de promotion sociale can refer the case to the juge des enfants, and women's and children's rights associations and cliniques juridiques advise and support families. From the UK you can point the family to them; the Forced Marriage Unit advises anyone in the UK and can help British nationals abroad.
Can I report in the UK an assault that happened in Cameroon?
Yes, but the UK police cannot investigate an attack that took place abroad: they will send the information to Cameroon, where the authorities decide whether to investigate — reporting before you leave is far more effective. The exception is a suspect who is a UK national or UK resident: subject to certain conditions, he or she can be prosecuted in the UK for a sexual offence committed abroad. Depending on the country, compensation may be possible, usually only if the crime was reported to the local police, and some travel insurance policies cover personal injury resulting from a crime.
Sources
- Services du Premier ministre — official government website — laws and regulations of Cameroon, including the Penal Code (French version)
- GOV.UK — victim of rape and sexual assault abroad — FCDO support, reporting in the UK, prosecution of British perpetrators, support services
- British High Commission Yaoundé — consular assistance for British nationals in Cameroon, Chad, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea
The general article: Consent and age of consent · Compare with another country
Domestic violence
The Code pénal punishes violence (violences) and harassment (harcèlement), and the support of victims rests above all on centres d'écoute (listening and support centres) run by associations and on the social services. As throughout the region, the main difficulty is not a lack of rules but practical access to help: the courts are often far away, the medical certificate (certificat médical) costs money, the family and the community put pressure on the victim, and there are few shelter places, most of them provided by associations. A complaint (plainte) is made to the police, to the gendarmerie or, where they exist, to specialised units. The medical certificate is the decisive piece of evidence and should be obtained as early as possible: the first 72 hours count for the record of injuries and, after sexual violence, for preventive treatment against HIV. Recent texts provide for protection measures (mesures de protection) for victims, but their application varies from one place to another. Where children are involved, the social services or the juge des enfants (children's judge) can be asked to act, and the brigades de protection des mineurs (units for the protection of minors) deal with situations involving children. In practice the most effective entry point is the health centre, then the association; the police often come afterwards. The Penal Code is a national text: it applies in the English-speaking North-West and South-West regions as in the rest of the country, whatever the victim's nationality.
For anyone who suffers violence from a partner in Cameroon — a Cameroonian woman, or a British or Irish woman living there with a Cameroonian partner — the law and the practical route are the same. First the health facility, within 72 hours if possible: the injuries are recorded there, a written certificate is issued and, after sexual violence, preventive HIV treatment is started. Then an association or a centre d'écoute: associations often obtain the certificate free of charge, know the magistrates, the doctors and the shelter places available, and accompany the complaint and the proceedings — whether a case reaches its conclusion depends heavily on that support. British nationals can also turn to the British High Commission in Yaoundé or, at any hour, to the FCDO in London: consular staff can provide lists of local lawyers and interpreters, help to contact the family and UK support services and issue an emergency travel document if a passport has been lost or stolen, but they cannot intervene in Cameroonian proceedings or pay medical, hotel or legal bills; Irish citizens contact the Department of Foreign Affairs. The FCDO advises against all travel to the North-West region and to most of the South-West, and says that the High Commission can offer only limited support in areas where it advises against travel: there, every journey to a health facility, an association or a court takes longer. An English speaker may also need an interpreter in the French-speaking parts of the country — another reason to be accompanied.
In the UK, Cameroonians — students, workers, spouses and families settled for a generation, many of them from the English-speaking regions — have the same protection as any other victim, whatever their nationality or immigration status. In an emergency the police (999) intervene. In England and Wales the Family Court can make a non-molestation order, which bans contact and approaches, quickly and without notice to the abuser where there is a risk, and an occupation order, which decides who lives in the home (Family Law Act 1996); breaching a non-molestation order is a criminal offence, and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 defines abuse broadly, economic abuse included. The National Domestic Abuse Helpline (0808 2000 247) answers free of charge, 24 hours a day, with interpreters, and refuges take in women with their children; in Ireland, safety and barring orders are granted by the District Court and Women's Aid runs a national helpline. A partner whose UK visa rests on a relationship with a British citizen or a person settled in the UK, and whose relationship has broken down because of domestic abuse, may be able to settle in his or her own right; the Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession gives permission to stay, with access to benefits for those who are eligible, while the settlement application is made — within three months. Take advice from a specialist organisation or a regulated immigration adviser before speaking to the Home Office, and gather the evidence: certificates, police reports and court decisions, from both countries. A Cameroonian protection measure is not recognised automatically in the UK or Ireland: it is quicker to apply for an order there and to produce the Cameroonian certificates and complaints, translated if they are in French, as evidence. And where there are children, neither parent should take them across the border without the other's consent or a court decision: taking a child under 16 out of the UK without the consent of everyone with parental responsibility or the court's permission is an offence in England and Wales, and whether the 1980 Hague Convention on child abduction can be used between the UK and Cameroon is a question for the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit (ICACU).
Key points
| Law | Code pénal: violence and harassment punished; applies throughout the country, the English-speaking regions included |
|---|---|
| Complaint | Police, gendarmerie, or specialised units where they exist |
| Medical certificate | The decisive evidence; to be obtained as early as possible; often charged for, frequently free through an association |
| Protection measures | Provided by recent texts, applied unevenly |
| Shelter | Few places, provided mainly by associations |
| Children | Social services or juge des enfants; brigades de protection des mineurs |
| Most effective entry point | The health centre, then the association: the police often come afterwards |
| 72 hours | Record of injuries and HIV prophylaxis |
| British and Irish nationals | Same rights in Cameroon; consular support from the British High Commission in Yaoundé (limited where the FCDO advises against travel), no intervention in proceedings; in the UK, non-molestation and occupation orders, National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247, settlement in one's own right for partners who are victims of domestic abuse; Cameroonian measures not recognised automatically |
In practice
- Go to a health centre or a hôpital de district (district hospital) within 72 hours: the injuries are recorded and, if necessary, preventive HIV treatment is started; ask for a written certificate and keep a copy away from home.
- Contact an association or a centre d'écoute: they often obtain a free certificate and accompany the complaint and the proceedings — the outcome depends heavily on it.
- Build a written file: certificates, dated photographs, names of witnesses.
- Put the essential documents in a safe place — passports, residence permits, birth and marriage certificates (copies intégrales, full certified copies) — or leave copies with someone you trust, and arrange a place to stay with relatives or friends.
- If there is a risk that the partner will take the children, tell their school; the social services or the juge des enfants can be asked to act.
- British nationals contact the British High Commission in Yaoundé or the FCDO (+44 20 7008 5000) for lists of lawyers and interpreters, contact with UK services and, if needed, an emergency travel document; Irish citizens contact the Department of Foreign Affairs.
- In the UK: in danger, call 999; for advice, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (0808 2000 247, free, 24 hours); apply to the Family Court for a non-molestation order, for which legal aid may be available; anyone whose visa depends on the relationship should take specialist immigration advice before separating if possible, and in any case before contacting the Home Office.
Cost and coverage
In Cameroon a complaint is free; the medical certificate often has to be paid for — a real obstacle — but associations frequently obtain it free of charge. Add the journeys to the health facility, the police and the court, which can be far away outside the cities, and any lawyer's fees. Consular support is free, but the FCDO does not pay medical, hotel or legal bills, and an emergency travel document is charged for. In the UK the police, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline and the advice of refuges and specialist services are free, and legal aid may be available for a protective order; an application to settle as a victim of domestic abuse carries a Home Office fee, which is waived for applicants who show that they are destitute.
Recent changes
The Maputo Protocol and the national plans against violences basées sur le genre (gender-based violence) form the common framework of the region; the most visible progress concerns the guichets uniques (one-stop centres) that bring health care, police and legal support together. In the UK, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 created a statutory definition of domestic abuse that includes economic abuse, and the UK ratified the Council of Europe's Istanbul Convention on violence against women in 2022; Ireland had ratified it in 2019.
Where to go
- Centres d'écoute and women's rights associations.
- Social services of the communes, centres de promotion de la femme (women's advancement centres) and cliniques juridiques (law clinics).
- Hôpitaux de district and health centres: certificate and care.
- Police and gendarmerie; the brigades de protection des mineurs where children are involved.
- British High Commission in Yaoundé and the FCDO (+44 20 7008 5000): consular support, lists of lawyers and interpreters; in the UK, the police (999), the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (0808 2000 247), refuges and, for children, the ICACU; in Ireland, Women's Aid; Irish citizens abroad: Department of Foreign Affairs.
Worth knowing
Where public services are weak, associations are often the fastest route to real protection: they know the magistrates, the doctors and the shelter places available. Go first to the health facility, within 72 hours if possible, and then have yourself accompanied. And where there are children, do not take them between Cameroon and the UK without the other parent's agreement or a court decision: take advice first, from an association, a clinique juridique or a lawyer — otherwise the violence you have suffered risks disappearing behind an accusation of abduction.
Frequently asked questions
I am British, I live in Douala and my partner is violent — where can I get help?
First go to a health centre or a hôpital de district, within 72 hours if possible: the injuries are recorded and, after sexual violence, preventive HIV treatment is started; ask for a written certificate. Then contact a women's rights association or a centre d'écoute: it often obtains a free certificate, knows the shelter places available and accompanies you to the police or the gendarmerie to make a complaint. The British High Commission in Yaoundé, or the FCDO at any hour, can give you lists of English-speaking lawyers and interpreters, put you in touch with UK services and issue an emergency travel document if your passport has been lost or stolen, but it cannot intervene in the proceedings. You can also call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline in the UK for advice.
I am Cameroonian, I live in the UK on a spouse visa and my husband is violent — will I lose my right to stay if I leave him?
Not necessarily. If your visa rests on your relationship with a British citizen or a person settled in the UK and the relationship has broken down because of domestic abuse, you may be able to apply to settle in your own right; the Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession gives you permission to stay, with access to benefits if you are eligible, while you make that application, which must follow within three months, and the fee is waived if you are destitute. See a specialist organisation or a regulated immigration adviser first, and gather evidence such as medical certificates, police reports and court orders. Your safety comes first: 999 in danger, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (0808 2000 247), a refuge place and a non-molestation order from the Family Court.
Can I go back to the UK with our children?
Alone, yes, at any time. With the children, only with the other parent's agreement or a court decision: otherwise you risk being treated, in a later dispute, as the parent who abducted them, and your situation as a victim slips into the background. Take legal advice before leaving — from a lawyer in Cameroon (the British High Commission has lists), an association or a clinique juridique; the juge des enfants can be asked to act. In the UK, the ICACU can tell you whether the 1980 Hague Convention applies between the UK and Cameroon. Keep certificates, complaints and photographs: they will show later why you had to leave.
Is a Cameroonian protection measure valid in the UK?
In England and Wales, apply to the Family Court for a non-molestation order under the Family Law Act 1996, producing the Cameroonian certificates, complaints and any decision, with an English translation if they are in French; it can be made quickly, without notice to the abuser where there is a risk. Conversely, a UK order can serve in Cameroon as evidence in support of a complaint or a request for protection.
Sources
- Services du Premier ministre — official government website — laws and regulations of Cameroon, including the Penal Code (French version)
- GOV.UK — settlement for victims of domestic violence or abuse — eligibility, Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession, fee waiver
- British High Commission Yaoundé — consular assistance for British nationals in Cameroon
The general article: Domestic violence · Compare with another country