Polygamy in Senegal: women's extreme reactions to co-wives' wedding nights

In Senegal, polygamy, while socially accepted, often leads to significant tension within households. The first wedding night of a husband with a co-wife is frequently a critical moment, marked by intense emotions and extreme reactions from the first wives. Coumba, married for ten years, initially accepted her husband's decision to take a second wife, preferring it to infidelity. However, the reality proved more painful, and she spent her husband's wedding night with his co-wife attempting to disrupt it and crying. Rama stated she resorted to mystical practices, paying a marabout to render her husband impotent, claiming he was then unable to consummate his second marriage. In some instances, jealousy escalates to physical violence. In 2018, a woman in Pikine severely injured her co-wife with a machete on her wedding day. More recently, other cases of altercations in hotels or homes have led to legal consequences. Astou admitted she was prepared to kill her rival and go to prison to prevent her co-wife from entering their home, recounting a scene where she pursued her with a club. In contrast, some women, like Sophie, choose silence and resignation, hiding their pain when their husbands travel with co-wives for their wedding nights. These testimonies highlight the gap between social norms and the emotional realities experienced by some women, emphasizing the need for psychological and social support for couples in polygamous relationships to prevent family tragedies.