The Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) has warned Liberian women against compromising their rights on domestic violence in the country. According to the President of AFELL, Atty.
Philomena Tugbe Williams, Liberian women and girls have been compromising their rights in seeking justice on domestic and sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) over the years, which some men have used as an advantage over their womanhood in the society.
Atty. Williams made the assertion over the weekend at Duala market, Bushrod Island, when Liberia joined the rest of the world to celebrate International Women’s Day.
She noted that many Liberian women and girls do not understand that they have rights under the law of Liberia, which no man has the right to abuse violently. She reminded them that their husbands or boyfriends do not have the right to abuse them violently, emotionally or financially.
The AFELL boss emphasized that if any woman or girl is abused in such manner, they should seek justice under the law by reporting to the nearer police station in the community, and AFELL will represent them in court.
Atty. Williams maintained that violence in any form against Liberian women and girls should be prevented and stopped in the society, noting that women and girls have value that must be respected.
Meanwhile, the Vice President of AFELL, Atty. Bowoulo T. Kelley, said women should be careful about the welfare of their daughters in the society.
Atty. Bowoulo stated that sending their daughters to sell in the streets between vehicles is dangerous, and urged them to stop, despite the economic hardship confronted the nation.
She further urged mothers to prevent and protect their daughters against rape and sexual gender-based violence.
For her part, the former Inspector General of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Cllr. Muna Sieh Browne, indicated that market women should save their money in the banks and avoid daily susu, which sometimes ends badly by people running away with their money.
Cllr. Browne noted that, after some marketers have worked hard to earn their money, some susu people escape with it, but if they put their money in the banking system it will be well saved.
In a related development, the Judge of the Criminal Court “D”, Meimeietta Jabbadah Sirleaf, said it is critical to empower Liberian women and girls to understand their rights in the society.
Judge Sirleaf pointed out that the empowerment of women and girls in Liberia will go a long way in transforming the socio-economic development of Liberia.
She emphasized that Liberian women should be united to foster awareness on their rights.
Earlier, the Head of the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Committee of AFELL, Cllr. Fanta D. Conde Barclay, cautioned Liberian women and girls to report rape and SGBV cases to the police station to seek justice.
Cllr. Barclay noted that if they compromise such action in society their daughters’ reproductive systems could be damaged, urging them to visit AFELL’s offices to explain their cases relating to rape and SGBV, as AFELL will not hesistate to intervene in helping them to resolve or represent them in courts.
Also speaking during the awareness and education for Liberian women and girls to understand their rights against rape and SGBV, women and girls from Duala, Waterside and Rally Time markets expressed thanks and appreciation to AFELL for creating awareness on laws relating to rape and SGBV.
They said the awareness on these issues in market places will go a long way in empowering them to understand their health and reproduction rights in the society.
They noted that more of them are suffering from SGBV with their husbands and boyfriends, but do not know who to guide them in the process to seek redress.
They promised to visit AFELL’s offices to receive more education on issues relating to rape and SGBV, noting that several of them are faced with such situations.