30 min. care for a girl in a shelter in Sierra Leone

Sexual violence against girls is a major and very serious problem worldwide. 15 million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 have experienced sexual violence in their lives (UNICEF, 2017). In Sierra Leone, it is estimated that around half of all girls and women are exposed to physical or sexual violence. In 2018, 8,500 rapes were officially reported there, more than double the number from the previous year (BBC, 2019). Many of the reported cases are not solved by the authorities. Most rapes are not even reported. This is because the girls and young women are often dependent on the perpetrators, for example for accommodation, food and clothing. Due to the high level of child abuse, Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio declared a national emergency for three months in February 2019.
Sierra Leone was the scene of a brutal civil war from 1991 to 2002. During this time, countless women and girls were victims of sexual violence. After that, women's rights were strengthened. However, many problems that existed before the war are hardly any less prevalent today. These include poverty, unemployment and a lack of educational opportunities. This particularly affects girls and women.