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IRC Statement: Speaking out in "Half the Sky"

September 28, 2012 - In West Africa and around the world, silence too often hides the violence that many girls and women suffer.  The International Rescue Committee respects the decisions of the individuals we assist—standing together and supporting women and girls who wish to break the silence and speak out about their experiences, and safeguarding the privacy and confidentiality of those who do not.

Fulamatu felt strongly about her desire to share her experience publicly and be featured in the Half the Sky production. She had the full support of her parents and the IRC to do so. Fulamatu has said that she hopes her participation in the documentary will raise awareness about the violence that afflicts many girls in Sierra Leone.  
 
The IRC’s Rainbo Centers in Sierra Leone provide survivors of violence with medical care, counseling and referrals to police, when they wish to press charges, as Fulamatu did.  The IRC worked closely with Half the Sky to document these services.  
 
However, the IRC has no involvement in the incarceration of alleged perpetrators. Fulamatu, her parents and the Sierra Leonean police gave consent to Half the Sky to film subsequent police activities and the events that would later unfold.  These scenes were filmed independently of the IRC, without our facilitation or involvement.
 
Fulamatu recently expressed hope to become a mentor someday to other young survivors of sexual violence.  In the meantime, she continues to receive educational and other support from the IRC.