JUSTICE & SOCIETY / RIGOR OF THE LAW IN BENIN: The Enigma of Control Over Minors
A 41-year-old primary school teacher in Cotonou was sentenced to 5 years in prison without parole and a 3-year suspension from teaching following his sentence for harassing his minor student. The National Institute for Women (INF), acting as a civil party, illustrates the « zero tolerance » doctrine.
The sentence handed down in Cotonou resonates as a direct warning to the teaching profession. A 41-year-old primary school teacher was sentenced by the Beninese justice system to five years in prison without parole, alongside a three-year ban on any teaching activity after serving his sentence, for harassing his minor student.
The direct involvement of the National Institute for Women (INF), which joined the case as a civil party to represent the victim, shows that a major institutional barrier has been broken. Yet, beyond judicial satisfaction, a fundamental question remains: when the risks of social, professional, and criminal ruin are at an all-time high, what still drives certain men to target underage girls?
The sociological and clinical analysis of predation against minors in the school environment highlights an often unrecognized reality: the act stems far more from a mechanism of power than a simple physical impulse.
A Triple Asymmetry of Power: A minor student finds herself in a situation of triple vulnerability (age, social status, and level of education). For an abuser, this disparity greatly facilitates manipulation and the enforcement of secrecy.
The Instrumentality of Authority: The role of a teacher confers natural authority. The perpetrator misuses this position to establish absolute control over a victim who is perceived as less likely to set firm boundaries or immediately file a complaint.
For decades, harassment in schools enjoyed a form of social tolerance and « amicable » settlements hushed up within institutions or families.
Despite the rapid evolution of legislation in Benin, an inertia persists in mindsets:
Deep-Seated Patriarchal Privileges: Some men remain influenced by obsolete beliefs where a young girl’s body is seen as accessible or negotiable.
The Invulnerability Bias: Many predators downplay the gravity of their actions, believing they can evade justice through their position of authority, their network, or the victim’s family’s fear of public scandal.
The INF: A Strategic Breach of Silence
This ruling marks yet another clear break with the past. By acting as a civil party, the INF transforms what was once relegated to the private sphere into a matter of public concern:
Protecting Victims: Legal and judicial support from the INF shields the victim’s family from intimidation or attempts at out-of-court settlements.
Stripping Away the Means of Predation: By handing the teacher 5 years in prison without parole and an occupational ban, the justice system removes the very tool he used as leverage: his status as an educat The severity of these sentences and the proactive stance of the INF form an essential judicial shield. Nevertheless, as long as dynamics of power within the educational system and the culture of coercion are not dismantled at their roots, the illusion of dominance will continue to blind certain men to the strict rigor of the law.
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