Girl who suffered domestics violence in Rumbek. (Photo: Yang Ater).

An 18-year-old girl was admitted in hospital in Lakes State with severe wounds on Tuesday after being subjected to domestic violence through beating and torture by brothers for rejecting forced marriage in Rumbek Center County.

The teenager was admitted to Rumbek State Hospital and is in critical condition – two weeks after she suffered the abuse in a village in Mayom Payam, according to medical staff at the clinic.

A medical doctor at the hospital identified by one name as David, confirmed that they have admitted the young girl to surgical ward.

Mr. David said the young girl was beaten by family members. But the victim appears to have suffered severe irreparable burns on her buttocks and legs, according to pictures extended to Eye Radio.

“It’s because she was married and the girl rejected the man and that’s why they have beaten her. According to what I have seen as a doctor, this girl might have taken 2-3 months in the hospital,” he said.

Mr. David narrated that one of the serious wounds is her buttocks and might need to be repaired over two to three months of admission.

“This treatment will take a time of 2-3 months, and it will not be treated soon according to what I have seen, because I dressed her and I covered her and that needs to be taken to theatre.”

“After getting heals that should need a skin graft and skin graft always need from her to be given and that’s what I have seen to help her to get better and it takes 2 -3 months.”

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a serious threat to the safety of women and children in South Sudan and happens in the form of rape, domestic violence, child marriage, and psychological abuse, according to reports.

When contacted, Lakes police spokesperson declined to give a statement, claiming the incident is a family-related and will be resolved in court. The suspects have not been arrested.

Lakes State has since banned child and forced marriage after Governor Rin Tueny outlawed the practice in a speech during his tour of the Loreto Girls School in Rumbek town in July 2022.

The ban came after the state parliament enacted a law prohibiting early child and forced marriage to safeguard girls’ education and ensure they don’t fall prey to perpetrators of child and forced marriage.

Meanwhile, the victim’s Mamer Ajoch Lueth, said he was absent when his daughter was tortured by his two children, but did not specify where he was.

“If I was there, such thing would have not happened, so if such a big incident occurred while I was there, I would have committed another crime. That’s why I first brought her to hospital and to the police in order to survive.”

Mr. Lueth said he will take his sons to the court of law to answer for their crime, once his daughter has healed.

“I am requesting the hospital administration to write form 8. Because I would take these children to court to explain why did they harm their sister by beating her badly like this. They will be the one to explain to court whether what they did to harm their sister is bad or good.”

On her part, Angelina Adhel Malual, the Chairperson of Lakes Civil Society Network, expressed concerns over the gruesome gender-based violence, emphasizing the need to sensitize communities on respecting the law and human rights.

“Such torture of canning your own sister in such a manner doesn’t reflect any good image even if the girl has committed whatever any crime. It doesn’t bring a good image,” she said.

“We really need to respect the law because I remember the law has been enacted in 2022, that says any girl should not be forced to marry or should not be tortured to accept anything that she is against “.

She underscored that families must always respect the rights and dignity of their daughters to choose their life partners.

“We cannot disrespect her regardless of whatever she has committed. Seeing wounds can really bring that there’s a lot of domestic violence and there is a lot of violation of girl rights.”

She urged the government of Lakes State to make sure that perpetrators of gender based violence are prosecuted and held accountable for their actions.

“We don’t like such act to happen in families because the family that is managed with love brings a lot to the community. But a family that has hatred, and family that puts a girl as a source of wealth because we can not make her resources rather than looking into her life as important.”

In November 2024, an advocate was attacked and beaten to semiconscious condition by a group of men after he successfully defended a court case and saved a young girl from being forced into marriage in Rumbek.

James Mourwel was seated behind his office in the state capital at 6PM when individuals he identify as the losing party in the case involving the underage girl assaulted him.

He was left in a semiconscious situation with multiple injuries in his neck and back before being rushed to Rumbek State Hospital where he was resuscitated and treated.