Liberia: Mother's Cry for Justice - Family Shattered By Rape, Incest, and Abandonment

**Zota District** — In the fading evening light, Gorpu Yarkpawolo (not her real name) sits outside a neighbor's home. Her three young sons gather around her. Tears roll down her cheeks as she shares her family's horror since 2022. Her voice shakes with a desperate resolve to protect her children's future.

Once, Gorpu's family lived a peaceful life in Zota District. They sustained themselves through modest farming. This changed when her 15-year-old daughter, Mary Flomo (also not her real name), became a victim of sexual violence. The alleged perpetrator was her own father.

A medical report from the Belefanai Health Center confirmed that Mary was five months pregnant at diagnosis. She told police that her father, Janteh Togbah, threatened to kill her if she spoke out. The pregnancy was legally terminated in Gbarnga with Gorpu's consent. However, the emotional wounds remain fresh.

After news of the abuse broke, Janteh fled to Guinea and has been missing since then. This left Gorpu alone to care for their four children—devastated and without support.

**A Family in Crisis**

Facing shame and danger, Gorpu moved with her children to Gbarnga for safety and anonymity. Life in the city has not improved their situation. They now live in a dilapidated one-room structure and struggle to make ends meet. Gorpu relies on a small garden and street sales from her sons, who sell donuts for food and rent.

Despite these hardships, she is determined to give her children a better future. "This is not just suffering," she said during an interview. "It's a cry for justice—a call for help." She wants her children to go to school and live normal lives.

Mary now lives in temporary shelter in Monrovia while receiving limited support. Gorpu's three sons, ages 9 to 16, share cramped living conditions with their mother in Gbarnga. Their needs are urgent—especially housing, education, and basic livelihood support.

**A National Pattern of Abuse**

Gorpu's story reflects a larger issue in Liberia. Sexual and domestic violence continue to plague communities due to war legacies and entrenched patriarchy.

According to the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, rape made up nearly 74% of gender-based violence cases reported in 2022. Despite the 2019 Domestic Violence Act criminalizing various abuses, enforcement remains weak. Victims often face stigma while perpetrators evade justice.

The World Health Organization reported that between 61% and 77% of women and girls were raped during Liberia’s civil war. Today’s trauma persists across homes and schools as many survivors suffer silently.

Although the government has taken steps like establishing Court E for fast-tracking sexual abuse cases and declaring rape a national emergency in 2020, these measures fall short due to delays in prosecution and under-resourced courts.

**Gaps in the System**

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have stepped up to provide some support for victims like Gorpu’s family. Groups such as Men Against Rape and Domestic Violence (MARDV) run awareness campaigns and offer counseling services but lack long-term safe homes or financial aid options for survivors.

Bong County Gender Coordinator Madam Musu M. Mulbah noted that both Gorpu and Mary initially received limited assistance from an NGO but that support has ended now.
"They were given short-term help," she said sadly. "But right now they are on their own." She appeals for urgent support from humanitarian organizations and local leaders for this struggling family.

**Voices of the Forgotten**

One heartbreaking perspective comes from Paul (not his real name), Gorpu’s second-born son who is 16 years old.
He dreams of completing school so he can support his siblings and mother.