The Executive Director of the Rainbow Centre Initiatives in Sierra Leone, Tania Sheriff has commended the Print Media for proactive stance in increased reporting on Sexual and Domestic violence, in the Country.
She stated that despite there are so many laws to protect Women and Girls against all forms of violence, sexual and domestic violence is still on the increase, and as a result women and girls are no longer safe.
Madam Sheriff explained that most violent acts occur in the home, school, workplace and the community at large, and this is having a negative impact on women and girl’s development in Sierra Leone.
In a disappointed mood, she noted that her centre is seeing more women and girls, than men and the number is increasing, which is not a good sign that women and girls are getting the protection to ensure that their rights are not being violated.
As a result of the increase in number of violations both physical assault and domestic, the centre is finding it difficult to continue its operations as well as to expand to other parts of the country, noting that toiletries, administration cost and staff salaries are of major concern, but the centre has been coping with what they have to save the lives of survivors of sexual and domestic violence, she said.
On the issue of perpetrators, Madam Sheriff maintained that the Justice system is not doing much and needs to redouble its efforts to bring more perpetrators to justice and also to hand down long term jail sentences, including some family members and members of a community who will want to condone an out of court settlement, regarding a case of sexual or domestic violence.
She noted that during the past month, a six month old girl was brought to the centre for medical services, as a result of sexual violation, and the oldest was the rape case of an 80 year old woman. Both cases Madam Sheriff described as insane.
Concluding the Rainbow Centre Initiatives, Director assured all that as long as resources are available there are plans for expansion to provide the much needed services to save women and young girls whose rights are being violated, and called on the police to be extra vigilant to bring down the number of sexual and domestic violence, especially in remote rural communities, and provide more resources to the Family Support Unit (FSU) a unit which is responsible for the protection of survivors.
Rainbow Centre Initiatives is a health service provider in Sierra Leone with units in Government health facilities in some parts of the country, which provides medical and counseling services for women and girl survivors of sexual and domestic violence. This is done for free to help bring back their confidence and dignity.
By Ade Campbell
Friday July 08, 2016
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