9).
"I was captured together with my husband, my three young children and other civilians as we were fleeing from the RUF when they entered Jaiweii. Two rebels asked to have sex with me but when I refused, they beat me with the butt of their guns. My legs were bruised and I lost my three front teeth. Then the two rebels raped me in front of my children and other civilians. Many other women were raped in public places. I also heard of a woman from Kalu village near Jaiweii being raped only one week after having given birth. The RUF stayed in Jaiweii village for four months and I was raped by three other wicked rebels throughout this period. " (We'll Kill You If You Cry " p.1).
This woman was innocent, and just trying to get away to safety. She did not "ask for it ", she did not "do it to herself ". She was attacked and taken advantage of, and it is now something she needs to suffer with for the rest of her life. Like many other victims, she will now be shunned from her community and most likely kicked out of her home and left alone. .
According to the 1991 Constitution, women in Sierra Leone are as a matter of fact allowed equal rights as all male counterparts. It is "fundamental principles of state policy that the state shall discourage discrimination on the groups of place of origin, circumstances of birth, sex, religion, etc. " However, despite the facts, under the inter alia, (under laws dealing with adoption, marriage, divorce, burial, devotion of property on death or other interests of personal law), discrimination of females is allowed because of direct attitudes on rights of women. ("We'll Kill You If You Cry " p.17). Regardless to the multiple international treaties Sierra Leone has put into affect that control citizens rights, women are still in a constant battle being denied the rights they deserve ("Agenda " p.3). Due to these conditions, it is as though women are property to the men, and not given the opportunity to be their own individuals.
