Ebola’s scars live on

Like many other girls her age in Sierra Leone, Mabinty*, has felt the effects of Ebola.

The promising 12-year-old girl is currently living with one of her aunts. "I lost my father and mother to Ebola," she says. "I have no one else to care for me the way my mother did" she says. 

Losing her parents, however, was the beginning of the pain for Mabinty and others who were left as orphans. 

Recently on her way to wash clothes for her aunt, Mabinty was assaulted. "He attacked me and pushed me to the bush. I was shouting for help but there was nobody around, " she says.  "Then he raped [me]."

Mabinty believes her parents' absence led to her rape. "My aunt with whom I was staying was not taking good care of me and that is why the man did that to me," she says.

Mabinty’s case was referred to Commit and Act, a local NGO that accommodates and cares for rape victims until they are able to reintegrate into society.

World Vision operates in Mabinty’s District and is fighting the cause of children through community sensitizations, dialogue, community engagement at all levels.

*Name changed to protect identity 

The Facts:

• Around 120 million girls under the age of 20 (about 1 in 10) have been subjected to forced sexual intercourse or other forced sexual acts at some point in their lives.

It takes a world to end violence against children. It takes a world to end sexual violence and exploitation against children.