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The district Team Lead of Rainbo Center in Kenema, Safiatu Jaja Jalloh has expressed concern over the rate of sexual penetration cases in the district despites efforts by campaigners.
Speaking to Politico on the 15th of July 2021, Ms. Jalloh said although not all cases are reported to the police or the center, the data they have alarming. “From January 2021 to date we have recorded 329 cases of sexual penetration in the district,” she disclosed, adding that most of the victims are between the ages of eleven and fifteen.
On domestic violence, she said they recorded a total of twelve cases.
She said the center received cases from both Family Support Unit of the Sierra Leone Police and the community, and that they provide free medical examination services to those clients that come to the facility with sexual penetration and domestic violence reports.
In addition to the free medical examinations, the center endorses medical certificate for court proceedings, provide psychosocial counseling for victims as well as helping the relatives with transport fares to attend court.
She said most of the sexual penetration offences come from the city than the rural communities. She said certain cases that need emergency surgery are handled by the Medical Superintendent Dr. Yayah Conteh but that the Rainbo center conducts further test for HIV and pregnancy for the victims and if positive with HIV, they the refer to the National Aids Secretariat for treatment.
She said in cases of fistula, they are immediately transferred to the Aberdeen Women Clinic in Freetown, for treatment.
Jalloh said they have embarked on massive community engagements with stakeholders on the protection of girls against early marriage, and early initiation into the Bondo society for genital mutilation, some of the root causes of teenage pregnancy among young girls.
She stated that they have established school health clubs in primary school health clubs in primary schools to capture the mindsets of girls against early sex and the negative effects it has on them. She added that they have further created suggestion boxes in schools for the pupils to report in secret, any sexual abuses and harassment on them.
She said those reports will be looked into and any teacher that will be named or accused by the pupils will be exposed to the law officers.
Talking about challenges they encountered in their operations, she said the delay in sexual penetration cases in court is one of the main challenges faced. She said this has discouraged victims and their relatives from going to court especially when cases are frequently adjourned by the court.
She also noticed that the facility lacks water storage system especially when they have critical cases which may require victims to clean up themselves. She also highlighted lack of vehicles which result in the center having to hire motorbikes to go on sensitization in the communities. She appealed to other humanitarian organizations for more support for the effective running of the center.
