Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) remains one of the significant challenges facing Sierra Leone. This has had profound consequences for countless women and girls. Years of conflict, combined with deeply entrenched patriarchal norms and a weak legal framework, have set the stage for a culture of impunity, where survivors of violence live with the stigma, and their perpetrators are never held accountable. Despite some progress, especially with the declaration of a national emergency on rape by President Julius Maada Bio in 2019. SGBV remains deeply entrenched. 62 per cent of women between the ages of 15 and 49 have experienced sexual violence at least once in their lives. The cases range from domestic violence and rape to harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, forced and early marriages. This issue is pervasive, affecting women and girls in urban and rural areas.
The legacy of Sierra Leone’s 11-year civil war, which ended in 2002, still lingers in the form of normalised violence against women. The war saw the emergence of rape as a dreaded weapon, where women were often victims of sexual violence at the hands of armed groups. However, over two decades since the official end of that conflict, trauma remains deeply embedded, as evidenced by the persistently high rates of sexual and gender-based violence across the country. It is believed that the main reasons behind the persistence of SGBV in Sierra Leone are patriarchal attitudes and deep-seated gender norms. Women and girls continue to be viewed as men’s property in communities, with violence being an essential means of control. This is further cemented through practices such as FGM, which, though banned, is still practised in many parts of the country, and early marriages that expose young girls to violence, barring them from attaining education.
Additionally, social stigma often discourages survivors from reporting cases of SGBV. Women who come forward frequently face ostracism from their families and communities, leaving them isolated and vulnerable. This culture of silence perpetuates the cycle of violence, as most perpetrators face minimal or no punishment for their crimes. Also, due to the stigma, and a lack of trust in the legal system, most of the survivors do not report their cases, living in fear of reprisal from their abusers or in deep-seated disbelief in the possibility of justice being served. This is exacerbated by the general scarcity of resources available to survivors: although some NGOs provide essential services, the demand for help far exceeds the available support. Safe houses for survivors, trained counsellors, and lawyers remain scarce, especially outside big cities and towns.
Although the legal framework for addressing SGBV in Sierra Leone has increasingly improved, its implementation remains very poor. Thus, the 2012 Sexual Offences Act, amended in 2019, marked an important step toward criminalising rape and other forms of sexual violence. The 2019 amendments introduced life imprisonment for rapists, especially when the act involved minors. In that same year, President Bio issued a national emergency due to rape and sexual violence owing to an appalling surge in reported cases that included the rape and death of a five-year-old girl. The government also established special courts to expedite SGBV cases and created a national hotline for reporting incidents. Nevertheless, amidst these efforts, challenges persist in applying these laws. Corruption, lack of resources, and poor training of law enforcement officials often hamper the effective prosecution of SGBV cases.
International organisations such as UNICEF and UNFPA have supported government efforts to address SGBV. For instance, in 2023, UNICEF partnered with the government to roll out the Gender-Based Violence Information Management System, which aimed to capture cases of SGBV for policy and law reforms. UNFPA programmes, on the other hand, have aimed to prevent violence by promoting gender equality, economic empowerment, and education for women. Non-governmental organisations and civil society are also addressing SGBV in Sierra Leone. Organisations like the RAINBO Initiative and WAVES provide necessary services for survivors; these include medical treatments, counselling, and even legal advice. These organisations sensitise the community on sexual and gender-based violence, advocate for the rights of survivors, as well as lobby for strict laws that can give better protection for women and girls. These efforts notwithstanding, there are still gaps in the fight against SGBV.
To effectively combat sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Sierra Leone, it is crucial to adopt an approach that addresses the underlying causes while reinforcing the systems that protect survivors. First, it is imperative to strengthen law enforcement and the judiciary. Ensuring that cases of SGBV are handled with sensitivity and efficiency is vital for justice. This involves providing more resources and specialised training for police officers, prosecutors, and judges. Training should focus on reducing the re-traumatisation of survivors during investigations and trials, which is often a significant barrier to justice. Also, community engagement is essential. For instance, men and boys should be more involved in discussions challenging harmful gender norms and patriarchal attitudes. Community-based programs will be significant in changing attitudes toward gender roles and in reducing violence against women. The programs must promote mutual respect and equality at the daily interaction levels by addressing the root causes of violence at the local level.
In addition, investing in comprehensive services for survivors is needed. This would include increased access to safe houses, medical care, counselling, and legal assistance. More importantly, it involves empowering the woman or girl with education and economic opportunities that are key to preventing further violence. Empowered women and girls also have the potential to get out of abusive situations and rebuild their lives, thus working toward a sustained reduction in SGBV throughout Sierra Leone. SGBV is deeply entrenched in Sierra Leone and requires systemic and cultural transformation. Though some efforts have been made through legal reforms and the contributions of civil society, much remains to be done in the protection of women and girls from violence.
