By Foday Moriba Conteh
In Sierra Leone, the rate at which sexual exploitation against children is informally reported is very alarming despite Government and other agencies efforts to curb the societal ill in the country.
In a bid to stop sexual exploitation of children in the country, Don Bosco Fambul on Friday 24th September, 2021 launched the “Lef Mi Bodi” Campaign that aims at raising awareness among the population on issues related to sexual exploitation and how to prevent them during a well-attended Press Conference at the Don Bosco Fambul Office on Fort Street in Freetown.
Giving the keynote address, the Communications Officer of Don Bosco Fambul, Amanda Helen Clemens, noted that stories of minors being sexually penetrated is not a new tune in their ears, adding that as partners, stakeholders and the media personalities they are all aware of the rising number of sexual penetration due to their daily work in the field.
She maintained that based on statistics in 2020, 2,138 children in distress called the Don Bosco child line and in the same year, Rainbo Initiative recorded 2,322 cases of sexual assault on minors nationwide furthering that according to the Family Support Unit of the Sierra Leonean Police, 915 cases of sexual exploitation were recorded between January and April 2021 alone.
She disclosed that the, ‘Lef mi Bodi’ campaign aims at raising awareness among the population about the issues related to sexual exploitation and how to prevent them.
Underscoring the activities of the campaign, the Communications Officer stated that they will be conducting interactive school workshops that will train school-going pupils about the dangers of sexual exploitation and how to spot and avoid underscoring how schools play crucial roles in the campaign to prevent sexual exploitation against minors.
In his brief statement, representative of Laughter Africa, James Tyrrell, said that the Network for Street Children Sierra Leone is a consortium of five Non-Government Organizations working with street children including Dom Bosco, Pikin Paddi, St George’s Foundation and Street Child.
He stated that the ‘Network for Street children will be advocating on behalf on any girl or boy living on the streets who experienced sexual abuse, adding that it is usual for the children living on the streets not to take any further action after they have been assaulted of which he said they want to change that and ensure they feel safe and be supported to access relevant services and achieve justice.
“We hope that more prosecutions of perpetrators will serve as a message to any future offenders that sexual assault against stretch children is taken seriously and has severe consequences, so that we see a reduction in the number sexual abuse offences,” James Tyrrell concluded.
The Assistance Director of Children’s Affairs in the Directorate of the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Daniel Albert Gbow, applauded Don Bosco Fambul for the launch of the campaign and their tireless efforts in complementing Government’s effort in providing services for children in the county especially girls and addressing sexual abuse, exploitation etc.
He said since the separation of the Ministry in 2019 their mandate has been ensuring the protection of women and girls in the country, through monitoring, partnership and the review of child protection or gender policies or legislation in collaboration with various actors.
Daniel Albert Gbow maintained that sexual exploitation is really a social problem in the country that has affected the development of children especially girls, stating that despite Government and other agencies efforts to curb the menace it still a challenge.
He maintained that the Ministry has been working in collaboration with various MDAs which include the Office of the Anthony General and Ministry of Justice, FSU and child protection partners in order to address the menace in the country.
The Senior Communications Officer at Rainbo Initiative, Bob Lamin, on behalf of Rainbo Initiative expressed gratitude to Don Bosco Fambul for launching the “Lef Mi Bodi” Campaign which aims at stopping sexual exploitation on children in the country.
He said that if campaign like that could have existed they should have not recorded the 1,691 SGBV cases from January to June 2021, adding that campaign like the “Lef Mi Bodi” will help to raise awareness for the need to stop sexual exploitation on children, adding that they should have also recorded the 242 teenage girls that turnout to be pregnant after abuse.
Bob Lamin concluded that should raise up their voices on Sexual Gender Based Violence issues which will support the “Lef Mi Bodi” Campaign in order to put a stop to sexual exploitation on children across the country.
Statements were also delivered by representatives from the FSU, SLTU, Office of the Anthony General and Ministry of Justice.
The event was climaxed by the official launching of the “Lef Mi Bodi” campaign by the Assistant Director of Don Bosco Fambul, Samuel Thomas Bojohn.
