On Wednesday, 25 February 2026, Rainbo Initiative officially launched its 2025 Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Incident Data Report during our Data Harmonization Advocacy Meeting, a strategic convening designed to strengthen coordinated national response systems.

For us at Rainbo, this report is not simply a statistical publication. It reflects the lived realities of survivors who accessed services across our nine Rainbo Centres operating in seven districts. It provides an evidence base that informs our medical, psychosocial, legal, and referral interventions, while shaping broader advocacy and policy engagement across Sierra Leone.

In 2025, we documented 3,055 abuse cases,  a 10% increase from the 2,771 cases recorded in 2024, reinforcing the sustained and escalating demand for survivor-centered services. Of those served, 99% were female. Sexual assault accounted for 2,723 cases, while 330 involved physical assault, and two were classified as psychological abuse. Among the total cases, 514 resulted in pregnancies, and one case was HIV-related.

The depth of violence reflected in the data remains deeply concerning. Our youngest survivor was a six-month-old infant. Our oldest was a 58-year-old woman who was gang raped by five armed men during a 3:00 a.m. attack linked to a community dispute in which her home was set on fire. We also recorded the tragic death of a 14-year-old junior secondary school pupil who was sexually assaulted by a police officer. She was brought unconscious to our Freetown Centre and referred to a main hospital, where she later passed away. These cases underscore the severity, complexity, and urgency of our mandate.

Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/3OMbE3w

The launch, held in collaboration with The Carter Center, brought together representatives from government ministries, civil society organizations, development partners, and the media. The event marked a critical institutional shift toward a harmonized, digitalized data management system, strengthening accuracy, interoperability, and real-time reporting across service points.

Madam Isata Jabbie Kabba, Presidential Adviser on Gender, commended the Rainbo Initiative and its partners, noting that the administration is advancing beyond policy commitments toward “transformative justice” grounded in institutional accountability and systems reform.

In his keynote remarks, Charles Vandy, Chief Director at the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, emphasized that data must drive responsibility and reform, stating that every statistic represents a human life demanding justice.

Leanne Webster, Director of the Law Program at The Carter Center, reaffirmed the Center’s multi-year partnership with Rainbo. She highlighted joint efforts to harmonize SGBV data across Family Support Units in multiple districts, describing the collaboration as a model for strengthening coordinated, survivor-focused service delivery.

As an organization, we recognize that evidence is power. The 2025 SGBV Incident Data Report reinforces our conviction that prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership must function within a unified and accountable ecosystem. The move toward a digitalized and harmonized data architecture is not merely an operational improvement; it is foundational to strengthening institutional response, influencing policy reform, and ensuring that survivors remain at the center of national action.

Going forward, Rainbo Initiative remains steadfast in its commitment to survivor dignity, justice, and access to comprehensive care. Behind every data point is a person whose rights must be upheld. Through sustained collaboration, evidence-driven advocacy, and strengthened safeguarding systems, we will continue to push for structural change that protects women, girls, and vulnerable communities across Sierra Leone.