By Nasratu Kargbo and Ibrahim Sorie Fofanah
Following the death of a twenty-eight-year-old woman whose death is allegedly a result of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and the cry of a visually impaired cesarean patient who called for help from an allegedly abusive husband, Women’s Forum and other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have called for these matters to be investigated and justice served.
Speaking on behalf of Sierra Leonean women, Women's Forum Sierra Leone which is the country’s national women’s umbrella organization in a press release dated 19th August 2024 demands swift actions “The Women's Forum Sierra Leone demands swift actions and thorough investigations for the perpetrators to face the full force of the law and calls on the relevant authorities to take decisive actions to ensure justice”.
The organization condemned domestic violence and expressed deep concern over these actions, adding: “We stand in solidarity with Monica Atila, a Cesarean patient who recently gave birth to twins, as well as the family of the late Sia Kamara”.
One of Sierra Leone’s leading organizations in combating Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Rainbo Initiative like the Women’s Forum published a statement on the same date, “We call upon the authorities, particularly the Family Support Unit and the Criminal Investigation Department of the Sierra Leone Police, to conduct thorough investigations into all cases of violence/abuse and ensure that justice is served. Violence against women and girls is never acceptable. It is a violation of human rights and a crime that must be stopped”.
The institution’s Director was mentioned in one of the videos made by Monica Yeani Ghaliwa about reaching out to them, explaining what had transpired, the statement explained that on the 7th of August 2024 around 2 in the morning Gahliwa made a ‘distress call’ to the Executive Director Daniel Kettor reporting abuse from her husband Mustapha Bai Atila.
The release further explained that they immediately dispatched a team which was accompanied by the Family Support Unit (FSU) police officer, to ensure Ghaliwa is safe and gets access to necessary healthcare. It noted, “While we do not typically discuss specific cases publicly, we are compelled to address this one due to the recent Facebook live interview done with Monica by Hawanatu Konneh where she mentioned our Executive Director, Daniel Kettor, for his supportive role in ensuring she accessed treatment and medication”.
On the other victim, they conveyed sadness over the reported death of Sia Kamara, saying these incidents are a stark reminder of the epidemic of violence against women and girls that plagues society.
They explained that the effects of domestic violence can have lasting consequences and impact on the victim’s ability to work, build healthy relationships, and live a fulfilling life. The release further explained that the above incidents are not isolated incidents, emphasizing that they happen daily.
It states that survivors of SGBV are mostly women and girls who face numerous constraints which serve as barriers to them reporting SGBV and accessing services, explaining that when survivors are abused by their families, they often have less power to report or pursue justice, hence they suffer in silence or delay reporting.
The institution in their release called on all to fight this menace: “Together, we must continue to challenge the norms and attitudes that are associated with GBV, empower survivors to seek justice and rebuild their lives, and hold perpetrators accountable. We will continue to fight for a future where all women and girls can live free from fear and violence”.
GBV is the topic of discussion in the public domain after pictures of the late Sia Kamara went viral on different social media platforms, according to reports, the autopsy result states that she had sustained broken ribs and injuries, which could have led to her death.
A few days after her death a video went viral where the Ex- Housemate runner-up explained about how she is being maltreated and battered by her husband.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (21/08/24)
