By Davida Spaine-Solomon
Freetown, 7th July, 2026 — The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs has condemned a video making rounds on social media with undignified images of an adolescent girl, calling on all those who know the alleged perpetrators to help identify them to ensure appropriate redress mechanisms are put in place.
“We must act decisively to end violence against women and children and safeguard their fundamental human rights,” the Ministry said, reaffirming its commitment to working with government and civil society partners to strengthen enforcement against sexual abuse and cyber exploitation.
In a statement issued Monday, the Ministry described the footage as a “grave breach” of Sierra Leone’s statutory protections for children. The Ministry appealed to anyone who has seen the video and knows the alleged perpetrators to come forward and assist investigators.
Officials said that offenders would be prosecuted under a range of existing legislation, including the Sexual Offences Act of 2012 (as amended in 2019), the Cyber Crime Act 2021, and the Child Rights Act 2025. These laws criminalise the production, distribution and circulation of sexually exploitative material involving minors, including through digital platforms and social media.
The Ministry cautioned that continued sharing of the video compounds the harm done to the victim and risks compromising the ongoing investigation. It urged the public to stop circulating or commenting on the content and instead report any evidence of abuse through official channels: the Family Support Unit (FSU) of the Sierra Leone Police, and the Ministry’s toll-free 116 Helpline, available on Orange, Africell and QCell networks.
The statement framed the protection of children as a shared national responsibility, calling on families, traditional leaders, service providers and all levels of government to work together to prevent abuse and support survivors. The Ministry said it is scaling up prevention programmes and survivor services, and urged parents and caregivers to practise vigilant, positive parenting.
It further called on the Sierra Leone Police and other law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter “with urgency” and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
Anyone with information relating to the case is urged to contact the nearest Family Support Unit or call the free 116 Helpline
