A new partnership between the Sierra Leone Police Family Support Unit and the Gender Directorate of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) has brought fresh impetus into the fight against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in military communities. The two institutions have commenced a series of sensitization sessions toward ensuring increased awareness, prevention, and accountability across the country’s military formations.
First engagements were conducted on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, at the Benguma Military Training Centre and the Murray Town Military Barracks. Military recruits, officers, and commanders attended detailed briefings led by Lt. Col. Alex Elogima Massaquoi, Director of the RSLAF Gender Directorate; Deputy Superintendent of Police Elizabeth Betty Johnson Williams, Deputy Head of the FSU; and Deputy Assistant Superintendent of Police Abu Bakarr Kanu, Operations Officer of the FSU.
The topics the sessions covered included how survivors can report violations, the legal responsibilities of security institutions, case handling procedures, and the penalties attached under Sierra Leonean law for SGBV offences. Officers were also reminded of the duty of care owed to survivors, particularly in environments where, mostly, the power dynamic silences the vulnerable individuals.
At Benguma, participants asked questions about reporting channels and support systems available to recruits, most of whom admitted that SGBV remains a sensitive matter within the military environment. They welcomed the practical explanations given by the joint team. A similar level of engagement was recorded at the Murray Town Barracks, with commanders expressing the strong desire for more regular sensitisation as one of the surest ways of entrenching a culture of respect and protection for everyone.
Senior officers at both locations said that this was a very timely initiative and that the police representatives’ presence served to clarify institutional roles and to reassure beneficiaries that SGBV cases would be handled with seriousness and confidentiality.
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According to the organisers, the aim is not only to create awareness but also to consolidate internal systems protecting survivors while discouraging potential offenders. Both the Police and the RSLAF Gender Directorate reiterated their commitment to frequent interaction, labeling this campaign a necessary move towards a military world where safety, dignity, and gender sensitivity drive routine practice. These joint sessions are expected to continue in other barracks and training facilities as part of a wider national effort to ensure accountability and the rights of women, men, and young recruits within the armed forces.
