Source: Front Page Africa
With the little awareness programs in many rural Counties in Liberia, some women are scared to leave their abusive homes because they still have to depend on their husband's pockets to feed them and their children.

Monrovia – It is common that in Monrovia and urban cities, women are demanding and standing up for their rights, unlike some women in rural Liberia who are living in the terror of domestic violence. Before President Sirleaf ascended to power in 2005, many women of the older generation were victims of sexual Gender Based Violence, (SGBV) Domestic Violence, Sexual Exploitation and early marriages, but now with a female President, many women are having the courage to walk out of their abusive homes and are going to school while some are attending many gender-based workshops providing them education about their rights.

In Grand Gedeh, during a women's forum, 20 year old Princess was a victim of domestic violence that she was afraid to speak out in front of the group, as she was still in the abusive home. But a few minutes later, she summered the courage to walk to a shady corner and sat down on the green grass to tell her shameful but painful ordeal.

Pointing to a deep wound on her face, as a result of domestic violence, silent tears ran down her cheeks, as Princess narrated her fears: "This mark on my face is from the beating my boyfriend gave me because he said I did not cook on time for him to eat, so he hurt me for nothing." Princess, who says she was raped by her partner in the process, was scared to leave the home before her man hunts and kill her.

Cecelia Sieh joined the conversation. "I had fine open teeth, but all my front teeth move today because my first man punched me in the mouth," she said "Everyday, he used to beat me. He beat me because when he takes pay and carry the money outside and used it on women, he will beat me when I ask about it." With awareness programs in many rural counties in Liberia, some women are scared to leave their abusive homes because they still have to depend on their husband's pockets to feed them and their children.

Although it is clear that more has to be done, with the situation of women slowly improving in Liberia, due to the input of organizations like the Association of Female Lawyers in Liberia (AFELL), which once launched a national anti-domestic violence campaign a few years ago, with less momentum. Even though NGOs believe that the actual numbers of women who are beaten by their partners are much higher.

Some men spoken to in Grand Gedeh, saw nothing wrong with beating their wives, if they did wrong. In fact, they expressed that their fathers beat their mothers in the past, so nothing was wrong in beating their wives.

"My daughter let me tell you the truth, the only punishment for African women, is beating. I beat my wife many times that she even walked out," Said old man Nelson Dweh in Grand Gedeh. "Do you know the funniest part about the whole thing, when I beat her; she killed a big chicken for me, as if she is thanking me for a good job. So why should I not beat her when I want to eat chicken?"

AFELL reports that while the Government of Liberia, in partnership with NGOs, is working hard to create awareness on women's rights and gender equity around the country, Domestic violence has been the second most reported case of gender based violence after rape. "Some of these women are afraid to report their husbands because either their parents or the community do not see anything wrong when their husbands beat them," says Aisha Kamara, of Action Aid in Grand Gedeh.

"They would rather stay in that abusive home and bear it. Women in Liberia often rely on their partners for financial support, and many men hold the positions of authority in the home, so when a woman is abused, she often feels she has no choice but to live with it", Aisha said. In Monrovia, some women like 49 year old Esther Boima, a marketer commonly known as Pepper Kala, has a different view of an independent life, without being beaten by a man.

"Before I respect my man, you as the man, have to respect yourself, but if you don't respect yourself I won't respect you. If I am married to you and you sent me in the kitchen, I will put you on the dining room table, but if you don't send me in the kitchen, I won't put you on the table with my small market money I am depending on to put in the bank. My eye open now, I will do something better with my money," says Esther.

Wearing a green Gender Ministry made lappa, and head tie bearing the President's photo and a white blouse, the middle aged woman commonly known as 'pepper cala', started to read from the book displayed in front of her, "Think big, Have faith in yourself, Trust yourself, ability to do things and have Positive thinking."

ON whether she would help her husband if he does not have a job, she said; "If he does not have the hand, I will help him, but if he is putting his hand in 'crockigee' business and have plenty girlfriends everywhere, I will not help him."

• Liberia