The Liberian Senate on Thursday unanimously passed the “Domestic Violence Act of 2019″ earlier endorsed by the House of Representatives as recommended to plenary by the relevant committees of the upper House.
Recently the plenary of the Liberian Senate forwarded the Domestic Violence Act to the Committees on Health, Gender, Children and Judiciary to report to plenary for action.
The Act, which has been lingering in the corridors of the National Legislature since 2014, seeks to prevent and eradicate Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) against women, men and children.
It can be recalled that on July 4, following an intense debate, members of the House of Representatives reached an agreement to pass the “Domestic Violence Act of 2019.”
Reading the Committees’ report during Thursday’s session, the Chairman on the Senate’s Committee on Health, Gender, Children and Social Protection, Grand Kru County Senator Peter Coleman said “after carefully scrutinizing and cleaning the Act, the offense of Domestic Violence shall constitute a misdemeanour of the first degree.
Convincing the Senate why they should concur with the House of Representatives, Senator Coleman maintained that the purpose of the Bill is to make unlawful the act of domestic violence, including threats to commit physical or sexual abuse.
After a period of deliberations, Lofa County Senator George Tengbeh made a motion which recommended that the Liberian Senate concurs with the House of Representatives on the Act.
Following his motion the Bill was unanimously endorsed by members of the Liberian Senate.
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