Violence against Women Rife In Liberia; Reveals Amnesty International

Gender-based violence continues to remain a problem in Liberia

The 2013 State of the World  Report issued by Amnesty International yesterday says domestic violence is still not a crime in Liberia.  According to the report, violence against women  remains rife, as does rape and other forms of sexual violence against women and girls. This includes harmful traditional practices, such as female genital mutilation and early marriage.

The 2012 U.S. Human Rights Report also referenced this. It said, “The law prohibits domestic violence; however, it remained a widespread problem. The maximum penalty for domestic violence is six months’ imprisonment, but the government did not enforce the law effectively and generally treated cases, if reported, as either simple or aggravated assault.”

The U.S. government observed in its report that the law does not prohibit sexual harassment, which remained a major problem, including in schools and places of work.

Also, there are no laws restricting couples and individuals from deciding the number, spacing, and timing of their children; however, information and assistance on family planning topics was difficult to obtain, particularly in rural areas, where there were few health clinics, it said.

However, regarding the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, Amnesty International has said that against a backdrop of widespread homophobia in the Liberian general public and the media, two laws aiming to further criminalize same-sex sexual conduct were introduced into the legislature and led to further discrimination.

In July, it said, the Senate voted unanimously to pass an amendment to the Domestic Relations Law of Liberia which seeks to make same-sex marriage a second-degree felony. At the end of the year 2012, a vote by the House of Representatives was pending.

“A second bill seeking to amend the New Penal Code, criminalizing the “promotion” of homosexuality and imposing long sentences for entering into awork towards abolition of the death penalty, death sentences continued to be handed down in 2012, although no executions took place. The death penalty was retained for armed robbery, terrorism and hijacking offences resulting in death,” it added.

It noted that a number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people reported incidences of discrimination, harassment and threats based on their sexuality. Many of them also reported that the introduction of these bills, perpetuating the stigma of same-sex relationships, made them increasingly concerned for their safety and frightened to seek government services such as health, security, welfare.