-Through major awareness, as rape cases surge past 2,700
By Jessica Cox
Duazon, Liberia – Over 2,700 reported cases of rape are more than enough. This was the message as the Just A Girl Initiative and Men Against Rape and Domestic Violence (MARDEV) took to the streets of Duazon in a day-long awareness campaign.
Holding placards and chanting slogans, activists paraded from Duazon Turning Point throughout the community, Friday, April 25, 2025, while spreading their message that “Enough is Enough” and there’s a need that rape and domestic violence to be stopped in Liberia.
A Call for Justice and Prevention
The groups (Just A Girl Initiative and MARDEV) rallied
policymakers and communities alike to end victim-blaming – Survivors deserve justice, not stigma, Educate boys and girls – Prevention starts with awareness, Strengthen legal enforcement – No more delayed or dismissed cases and Community vigilance – Report abuse; protect children from repeat assaults.
The CEO of Just A Girl Initiative, Evelyn Seagbeh condemned the harmful practice of families forcing underage rape survivors into marriage with their attackers. She urges: “Parents do not compromise rape, and seek the protection of your child/children. Parents should also be able to observe their children, to prevent them from being raped multiple times.”
Seagbeh criticized the culture of impunity surrounding rape cases, urging the Liberian government to allocate dedicated funds from the national budget toward preventive measures, including Nationwide awareness campaigns in schools and communities, Stronger legal consequences for offenders, and Protection programs for survivors to prevent re-victimization.
Men Join the Fight:
Mark N. Mengofia, CEO of Men Against Rape and Domestic Violence (MARDV), called on Liberian men to take accountability. “Rape is not just a women’s issue—it’s a societal cancer that we, as men, must help eradicate,” he asserted.
Mengofia, a father of three girls, emphasized that rape inflicts lifelong scars, breeding trauma, low self-esteem, and broken communities. Since its founding in 2020, MARDV has partnered with media outlets like Prime FM—securing a weekly radio hour to amplify anti-rape messaging—and conducted grassroots campaigns across Liberia. Both Just A Girl Initiative and Men Against Rape and Domestic Violence (MARDV) are non-governmental organizations working in Liberia.
