Ex-President Sirleaf, Others Protest Against Rape In Liberia

Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and several other Liberians are protesting against rising cases of rape in Liberia.

Protesters have been out on the streets for straight three days.

Madam Sirleaf joined the protests on Thursday afternoon, August 27, 2020.

Addressing journalists, she says the frequency of rape cases in Liberia needed action as such, there was the need for the protests.

According to her, “Rape has always been a problem, it was before my administration, it was in my administration and it’s still with us today. The women, given the kinds of cases that have recently come up – young babies, three months old, young children, 10 years old violated, sometimes, by old men, sometimes by young men, is something that the women felt they had to act and they had to act in a manner in which one does in peaceful protest.”

Protesters are pushing for harsh laws against such as castration of rapists.

The anti-rape campaigners have also been seeking the attention of President George Weah since Tuesday when the protest began.

The protestors have been bent on not delivering their petition statement to any official of government besides the President who prides himself as the feminist-in-chief.

Liberia’s Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection was designated by President Weah on Tuesday to receive the petition.

But the protestors said she had not done much in her capacity as Gender Minister and could therefore not regard her as the rightful recipient of their petition.

“Rape has always been a problem, it was before my administration, it was in my administration and it’s still with us today. The women, given the kinds of cases that have recently come up – young babies, three months old, young children, 10 years old violated, sometimes, by old men, sometimes by young men, is something that the women felt they had to act and they had to act in a manner in which one does in peaceful protest,” former President Sirleaf said.