The Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) has sounded a nationwide alarm over what it described as a disturbing surge in gang rape and other forms of sexual violence, urging the Government of Liberia to act decisively to protect women and children and hold perpetrators accountable.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, in Monrovia, the women umbrella body representing more than 250 women-led organizations across Liberia’s 15 counties warned that recent cases reported in Lofa, Montserrado, and Grand Bassa counties point to a deepening crisis of sexual violence and systemic protection failures.
Among the cases highlighted is the alleged gang rape of a 12-year-old girl in Lukasu Town, Kolahun District, Lofa County, where two suspects are under investigation by the Women and Children Protection Section. In Zubah Town, Payneville City, a 16-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted by ten men; three suspects are in custody while others remain at large.
The survivor is receiving medical treatment at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia.
WONGOSOL also referenced an ongoing investigation involving an officer of the Liberia National Police in Grand Bassa County, as well as a case in Voinjama, Lofa County, where five individuals have been charged in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 21-year-old woman. In District 17, Monrovia, seven men were recently convicted and sentenced in connection with the gang sodomy of a 17-year-old boy.
The organization said the pattern of cases reflects serious gaps in prevention, protection, and accountability, despite existing national laws criminalizing rape and sexual violence.
“Gang rape is not just a crime against individual survivors; it represents a systemic failure to protect women and children,” said Esther S. D. Yah Yango, Executive Director of WONGOSOL. “Liberia has the laws, the commitments, and the institutions. What is required now is firm enforcement, survivor-centered responses, and zero tolerance for sexual violence. Every perpetrator must be held accountable, and every survivor must be protected, supported, and believed.”
WONGOSOL called on the Ministries of Justice and Gender, Children and Social Protection, the judiciary, and law enforcement agencies to ensure swift investigations and prosecutions, regardless of the alleged perpetrators’ status or affiliation. It also urged increased funding for medical, psychosocial, and legal services for survivors.
Established in 1998, WONGOSOL coordinates women-led civil society organizations nationwide and advocates for gender equality, peacebuilding, and access to justice—warning that without urgent and coordinated action, sexual violence will continue to erode public trust and threaten the safety of Liberia’s most vulnerable citizens.
