GBV is a vice that must be stopped - courtesy

The rise of gangsterism in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, and other parts of the country is taking a severe toll on young girls, a situation we blame on the laxity of the country’s institutions to protect its most vulnerable.

The recent circulation of a disturbing video involving a 16-year-old girl in Juba’s Sherikaat area is not only perturbing but rather a stark indictment of a morally decaying society.

Eye Radio applauds the police for apprehending some suspects.

However, seeing such acts filmed and shared portrays a loss of collective conscience and accountability.

The wanton incident, involving alleged gang members, is sadly not an isolated case but reflects a society struggling with poverty, insecurity, and an increasingly ineffective law enforcement system.

The 2023 police crackdown on gang activity. While hundreds of suspected gang members were arrested, the groups have not only survived but grown stronger. Over 245 individuals were charged with violence-related crimes in Juba, yet many were later released. Others were transferred to the Rajaf Police Center for reformation, a process that lacked follow-up.

The lax handling of gang-related violence has encouraged, say embolden, these groups to regroup and rebrand. They now operate not as mere youth cliques but as ideological movements, adopting names like West Coast and Big Bozz. Their reach and shamelessness increase, while the state’s response continues to falter.

Gang rape has become a recurring vice in parts of the country despite numerous public awareness campaigns. The 16-year-old girl’s case may have come to light because of the video, which would otherwise go unnoticed, and the victim silently suffers from the act. However, this is a stark reminder that many survivors remain silent, either due to fear, stigma, or lack of faith in the justice system. Some never get the chance to speak at all.

This tragedy could have been averted with a stronger, more committed government-community policing model. A preventive, inclusive, and proactive approach is desperately needed—not just one-time arrests, but proactive interventions that combine law enforcement, social services, and local leadership.

If the cycle of violence against girls is to be broken, the government must treat this as a serious stab at the neck of the law. The only way forward is for the country to ensure a justice system that works, communities that care, and a government that acts. Act now!