Monrovia – The Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL) is troubled by the increasing waves of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and other forms of Harmful Practices across Liberia while the government watches supinely and do nothing to bring perpetrators to book and provide security for the survivors.
FeJAL’s statement comes against the backdrop that perpetrators of inhumane acts of sexual violence is being meted against females while the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection proudly document the incidents without taking tangible actions as if it is an achievement of government.
Just quite recently, it was reported that a 24-year old woman in Guluma Village in Zorzor District, Lofa County was tortured, a situation that left the survivor unconscious after spending the entire day in foot-cuffed detention on grounds that she and her spouse had a fight in the middle of the town which, according to the report is a gross violation of the town rules.
The 24-year-old woman has since then been unable to walk due to injuries she sustained from the cuffs, while her spouse was left untouched because the rules do not apply to men.
Another case of torturing involved a young woman who was being flogged in the Lofa Bridge Community in Grand Cape Mount County on grounds that she had refused to be part of their traditional ceremony, an act they see as total disrespect and disobedience to the tradition, thereby giving room for zoes and elders to order her flogging.
The violations continued with the “Gang Rape” of a 12 years old girl in Charlesville, Margibi County, A “Gang Rape” of a 19 year old girl in the Fendell Coomunity, Montserrado County, an 11 years old girl raped by a 51 years old man in River Gee County, an 8 years old girl rape in Grand Cape Mounty County, amongst others.
FeJAL notes that the Ministry of Gender and Children Social Protection has recorded 963 cases of which 667 are rape cases and 43 are cases of gang rape while the Ministry of Justice has also confirmed over 600 reported cases of Domestic Violence including early child and forceful marriage couple with none-persistent child support.
These grim statistics have been recorded since the outbreak of the coronavirus and the subsequent declaration of the State of Emergency (SOE) by President George Manneh Weah.
The Association says it is sad that duty bearers and policy makers are bent on politicking the fights against Gender Based Violence and using it as a political tool to gain votes from women groupings and their supporters during electoral seasons and the December 8 Senatorial Bi-Elections is of no exception.
Let us remind the stakeholders including the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection that the criminal courts have opened for its August Term and all those interested must follow closely to ensure that many of these numbers of reported cases are placed on the docket as well as follow up on how many will reach its logical conclusion, so as to report achievements in how the government is handling the rising menace instead of just documenting this inhumane act.