Uganda to give free pepper spray to fight rapists

Young women are to be given free pepper spray to defend themselves against rapists, says Uganda's newly appointed junior minister for Youth and Children Ronald Kibuule, who has vowed to fight the high rate of sex crime.

Police say sexual assaults on children and rape are two of the most prevalent crimes in the east African country. Amnesty International has called its sexual violence "endemic".

Some 709 rape cases and 7,564 cases of defilement against children were reported in 2010, police say, though experts say many more go unreported.