Women and girls in Liberia are still vulnerable to sexual assaults and this has posed a serious problem by both the government and women’s right organizations.
Girls and women are dying from sexual violence, and its long-term emotional, psychological and physical effects are profound and far-reaching.
According to Lois Bruthus, head of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia,
‘the raping of girls and women is a major problem ... we have been trying to curtail [these attacks], but it still continues’.
Although there are strong anti- rape laws prevailing in the region but fragile judiciary is impeding its convictions.
Gender Affairs Minister Vabah Gayflor charged,
’sexual exploitation is becoming another major problem for [our] women; we are increasingly hearing of girls being forced by wealthy men into exchanging sex for material gain.’
Figuratively:
1. two rape incidents of minor girls are reported every week
2. 85% of the 658 rape survivors reporting to the hospital were aged under 18 , while 48% were aged between 5 and 12 years
3. in November 2006, a girl reported that a school teacher had demanded sex from her in exchange for better grades
Reasons:
1. poverty
2. unemployment, that amounts to about 85%
3. the growing trend towards transactional sex between older, financially stable men and young women
What does this prove?
This clearly depicts that even after the horrible 14- year civil war the country is far beyond a haven for women inhabitants. Their condition is still unchanged except that first the perpetrators were ‘fighters’ and now the crime is committed by the native men.
Post-conflict periods are characterized by rapid increase in prostitution and a rise in domestic violence. Prostitution leaves girls and women extremely vulnerable to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. In the struggle to survive economically, exchanging sex for food, money or protection is the only available option for them.
Women are in such a pathetic situation that even after the horrible deed, they are further victimized again by the shame and thus, they lose both family and community.
The problem could only be curbed by strengthening national and international legal systems that would hold individual perpetrators accountable. And disseminating awareness regarding the due rights would be instrumental in the process.
