Violence Against Women
SOURCE:Â All Africa
A painstaking investigation conducted by this paper has found out that Gender Based Violence (GBV) recorded in April, May and June of this year amounted to 97.6%.
Of these cases, females, especially adolescence have suffered greatly from GBV during the period under review.
According to the investigation, which was aided by statistics gathered from the Gender Based Violence Division of the Ministry of Gender, and Social Protection (MOGC & SP), 34% of the survivors between the ages 13- 17 years suffered from statutory and gang rape, physical assault, sexual assault, domestic violence and others.
The GBV data detailed that 22% of the survivors between the ages 6-12 were also affected from GBV, while survivors above the age 25 years recorded 20% of these different forms of abuses.
The data reveals that out of the 97.6% cases, only 2.3% of the same violence cases have been perpetrated against males.
The data further reveals that 386 GBV survivors cases reported by health facilities have been provided medical and psychosocial services by GBV actors.
The statistics, according to the Ministry, are drawn from 13 of the 15 counties of Liberia.
"This represents the report of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MOG &SP). It outlines the statistical analysis of the received from GBV service providers working in Liberia," says the report.
Out of the total cases recorded during the quarter, the report pointed outs, 51% was rape, physical assault/domestic violence amounted to 23.6%, sexual assault accounted for 13%, while teenage pregnancy accounted to 2.3%.
The statistic indicates that of these cases, 34.7% of the survivors were reported by health facilities in Liberia, 28% from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Women and Children Protection Section of the Liberia National Police (WACP/LNP) accounted for 17% of the reported cases.
"Other agencies reported; including the GOL/MOGD, INGOs and Magisterial Court reported 28.5% of the GBV incidents," the report mentioned.
"Forty-eight percent (48%) of the 386 survivors recorded received various types of medical treatment. STI, Counseling is the highest, 17%. STI, TT, 9.8% and PEP, Counseling accounted for 5.4 percent, while PEP, STI, TT constituted 4%," the report furthered.
Data on the survivors' relationships to an alleged perpetrator shows a total of 382 perpetrators.
The data also shows that 33.7% were survivors' friends/neighbors, 30.3% of the perpetrators were survivors' spouse/intimate partners.
The report says that 4.9% were survivors' other family members, while 14% of the perpetrators relationship were unknown to survivors.
"Data on the alleged perpetrators occupation indicated that 18.3% of the perpetrators were students, and they allegedly committed rape, physical assault/domestic violence, sexual assault, persistent non-support and attempted rape and abandonment; while farmers accounted for 15.8% and they have allegedly committed rape, sexual assault, gang rape, rape, physical assault, emotional abuse and abandonment. Analysis show that 31.6% of the alleged perpetrators occupations were unknown," the report among other things adds.