Violence against Women in Liberia

Abstract Chapter 3 traces the problem of violence against women in Liberia and explains how the conflict exacerbated the problem and rendered women vulnerable in its aftermath. It examines three time periods (pre-conflict, conflict, and post-conflict) and explains that patriarchal gender norms were always at the core of this violence and contributed to Liberians’ reluctance to report rape and domestic violence to the police and to support the prosecution of offenders. However, widespread sexual violence during the conflict and post-conflict campaigns by the state and non-state actors led to shifting attitudes and to increased reporting of these crimes. Nonetheless, it shows how even after the conflict, Liberians relied more on informal justice mechanisms to address violence against women.