Freetown, June 12, 2025 — The Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi, has revealed troubling statistics on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) for 2024, highlighting the continued challenges in protecting vulnerable groups, particularly women and children.
The data was presented during the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s weekly press briefing on Tuesday.
According to Dr. Mahoi, a total of 2,771 GBV cases were officially reported last year. Of these, an overwhelming 2,744 involved female victims, while 27 involved male victims. A breakdown of the cases shows that 2,607 were related to sexual abuse, and 164 to physical abuse.
Among the most distressing revelations was that the youngest survivor of sexual abuse in 2024 was just two months old, while a nine-month-old was the youngest recorded victim of physical abuse.
Minister Mahoi attributed the rise in reported cases to recent legal reforms enacted by the government, which she said have emboldened victims to come forward and seek justice.
“This increase in reporting is not necessarily a sign of rising violence, but rather a reflection of improved awareness, legal frameworks, and community engagement,” she stated.
She also reiterated the availability of the 116 toll-free hotline, operational on all mobile networks, which connects callers to immediate support and referral services through designated one-stop centers.
Acknowledging the efforts of local partners, the Minister praised the Rainbow Initiative and other grassroots organizations for their relentless work in supporting GBV survivors across the country.
Addressing a separate but equally serious matter, Dr. Mahoi confirmed that all nurses on duty during the disappearance of a child at Cottage Hospital are currently in police custody as investigations continue. Authorities are working to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In her closing remarks, the Minister called for more decisive action from the judiciary and broader institutional support to strengthen the national response to gender-based violence.
“Justice must be swift and uncompromising. Survivors deserve nothing less,” she affirmed.
