In the last few years the Liberian government has enacted a range of efforts to combat violence against women and girls. A new domestic violence law, a National Road Map and President George Weah’s announcement of a two million dollar national emergency fund, have done little to stop the violence. It continues right under the watch of the government. Victims and their families say they are left with nowhere to turn.

This is the case for five high school girls who were forcefully initiated into Sande Bush by traditional leaders in Mt. Barclay in October. As Liberia joins countries around the world in observance of the 16 days of activism calling for an end violence against women, Senior New Narratives Reporter Evelyn Kpadeh Seagbeh has an exclusive interview with the girls about their experience and their quest for justice as part of our West Africa Justice Reporting Project.