By: Laymah Kollie
Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia has strongly condemned the public stripping and assault of a young woman in the Red Light the commercial City Paynesville,
WONGOSOL has described the act as “barbaric,” degrading, and a gross violation of human rights.
In a statement issued Thursday, the organization said the young woman was publicly humiliated and attacked by a group of men and youths allegedly because of the clothes she wore.
According to WONGOSOL, no woman deserves to be subjected to such cruel and inhumane treatment.
“Stripping a woman naked in public is not culture, discipline, or morality; it is violence, abuse, and a direct attack on her dignity and human rights,” the statement said.
The organization further criticized the conduct of those involved, stressing that “real men protect women; they do not join crowds to violate and humiliate them.”
According to them, the actions of the attackers reflected behavior “unworthy of men who claim to have mothers, sisters, wives, or daughters.”
The group argued that if the crowd’s intention had genuinely been to protect the young woman’s dignity, they would have allowed her to wear the wrapper reportedly provided instead of subjecting her to violence and public ridicule.
The women’s group referenced Article 11 of the Liberian Constitution,noting that the attack violated guarantees of equal protection and dignity for all citizens, as well as laws protecting women and girls from gender-based violence and degrading treatment.
The organization also cited Liberia’s obligations under international frameworks, including Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the African Union Maputo Protocol, and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
WONGOSOL has urged the Liberia National Police to identify, arrest, and prosecute all individuals allegedly seen in videos participating in the assault.
“Violence against women must never be normalized, excused, or ignored,” the organization stated, emphasizing that accountability is necessary to deter future acts of mob violence and abuse against women and girls.
It has further appealed to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to provide psychosocial counseling and protection support for the survivor, who it said may be suffering emotional and psychological trauma following the incident.
The organization further called on citizens, particularly men and young people, to refrain from acts that degrade women.“Women deserve respect, protection, and dignity at all times regardless of their appearance, background, or personal choices,” the statement added.
WONGOSOL has warned that Liberia cannot achieve meaningful progress while women continue to face violence, humiliation, and abuse in public spaces terming the act as “deeply heartbreaking”.
