Sierra Leone President Declares Rape a Problem, Now What?

This month, the president of Sierra Leone, a country located in West Africa, declared sexual violence as a national emergency. Specifically, President Julius Maada Bio announced sexual assault against minors, especially young girls and women, as punishable by a life sentence in prison. With much concern and follow up after a five year old girl was raped by a 28 year old man, action is only starting to catch up with concern. Although the President’s declaration is helping to make strides against sexual violence, this issue had been growing for years in Sierra Leone and for a number of countries in Africa. During the 1990s, Sierra Leone had suffered from a devastating Civil War which left many women vulnerable to sexual assault and violence by soldiers and rebels. During international trials, women revealed the harsh details about the rape, female genital mutilation and sexual slavery they were forced to endure. But the problem didn’t stop there. Sierra Leone was hit hard by the widespread Ebola outbreak of 2014, and the country’s movement towards progressive legislation such as that against domestic violence was put on hold. According to an international organization, Save the Children, many young orphans fell victims to sexual violence. During his declaration, President Bio reported that three quarters of sexual assault victims are under the age of 15. Additionally, despite legislation passed that criminalized sex with minors, most cases go unreported, are unsettled, or most common, victims do not have enough money to go through a trial. Pair that with a largely corrupt police force, and sexual violence still persists as an ongoing problem.

However, the declaration is a sign of progress for Sierra Leone. Since the 1990s, sexual violence has been a growing issue and has been worsened by domestic issues such as civil war and the Ebola outbreak. However, this declaration by the president provides a promise of future action. For so long, victims of sexual assault have been forced to keep quiet, but this declaration brings hope and awareness by the government and the public. More than 12,000 cases of sexual assault have been reported in 2017 and grows to this day. The President’s declaration of a national emergency sends a message to women and victims all across the country, showing them that they can seek help. The timeliness of this issue is important, not just for Sierra Leone, but globally. This declaration follows the rape of a five year old girl, sparking devastation and outrage in Sierra Leone. Additionally, sexual assault appearing on the news following the #MeToo movement over the past couple of years helped spread the need to take action across the world.

Throughout the past year, sexual violence has been at the forefront of news and media in the United States. I have watched and admired several women come forward to tell their stories and bring to light what an prevalent issue this is. However, as I looked on, I wondered how women in other parts of the world and in countries with different cultures and values deal with sexual violence. Especially in a country such as Sierra Leone, that experiences different social norms than we are used to in the United States, I wanted to know how this issue was dealt with. Rather, I found the lack of. To me, this declaration sounds like a large movement towards progress for sexual assault in Sierra Leone. Even in the United States, the government makes little acknowledgement of sexual assault, and despite a number of organizations and its prevalence in the news, it still largely occurs. Sierra’ Leone’s President declaring this issue a national concern is important, but as much as this is hopeful, I knew that the declaration of an issue and the execution to solve it are two very different things. Sexual violence can occur to anyone, but in Sierra Leone targets a majority of young girls. It devastates me to know that girls that are my age and even younger are the most vulnerable victims to this issue, so its important to educate ourselves and search for possible solutions. Although we witness sexual discrimination everyday, sometimes we can grow a blind eye to what happens elsewhere. I want to further understand the issues that go on outside of my own community and help create progress.