By Reuben Giahque, Dean Aidan, Delvin Doepoh, Reanel Gono, and Ansu Kamara
Ganta-A 26-year-old transwoman, identified by the pseudonym Angel, was violently assaulted by community members in Ganta, Nimba County, for her perceived homosexuality. The brutal attack, which occurred on the night of June 21, 2025, has reignited concern about discrimination and violence faced by sexual and gender minorities in Liberia.
The incident unfolded around 9:30 p.m. as Angel was returning home from visiting a friend named Justina. According to eyewitnesses, a man in her neighborhood began hurling insults at her, calling her “faggy man” and accusing her of engaging in same-sex relationships. When Angel attempted to respond and seek help from nearby residents, the confrontation quickly escalated into violence.
Witnesses say several family members of the aggressor joined in the assault, beating Angel with sticks, rocks, and even the handle of a mortar pistol. The mob left her unconscious, and she was later taken to a local clinic for treatment.
“I never imagined I would be attacked like this just for being who I am,” Angel told journalRAGE reporters. “I feel so scared and hurt, both physically and emotionally. I’m depressed and traumatized because many of my friends no longer want to associate with me. Some of them are still bullying me even after what happened.”
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic and deeply disturbing. “We felt hurt seeing how they treated someone from our own community,” said one resident who witnessed the assault. “He [the attacker] was shouting and beating her even after she fell. People need to understand that everyone deserves respect and safety, no matter who they are.”
A view of downtown Ganta
The LGBTQ+ community in Liberia continues to record instances of assault, harassment, and hate speech, according to the 2024 Independent National Commission on Human Rights report.
Just this year, the inaugural speech of the U.S. President Donald Trump sparked a series of transphobic attacks across the country.
In 2024, the caretaker of the house of former CDC Chairman Mulbah Morlu threatened to burn down the homes of persons suspected of being gay along Tubman Boulevard.
In May 2023, Dominic Bropleh (name changed to protect his identity) accused FHI360 of outing his health status when the organization plastered his face on flyers across the country as an HIV+ individual.
In May 2021, members of a community watch team beat three men on suspicion they were gay in the Gobachop community of Paynesville. According to two of the survivors, the community watch team members threatened and assaulted them, rendering one of their friends unconscious.
In June 2021, Nuchie Michael, a teenager and a student at the St. Matthew United Methodist School in New Kru Town, was expelled for cross-dressing.
In 2020, Cheeseman Cole, a disgraced ex-soldier from the Armed Forces of Liberia, was arrested for reportedly brutalizing 27 men suspected of being gay.
In November 2019, partygoers were stoned and beaten over suspicions they were attending a gay wedding at an event hosted by Population Services International (PSI).
In September 2018, invitees at a PSI event in Sinkor were attacked and severely brutalized.
Though identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender is not illegal in Liberia, it could spur violent attacks against a person who publicly does so.
In May 2020, fashion model Tarus Cole fled the country over remarks that “99% of Liberian men are gay.”
Liberia’s gay community saw a glimmer of hope that they might make progress in achieving rights in 2012 when Hillary Clinton, then U.S. Secretary of State, announced that “gay rights are human rights” and aid would be tied to how countries treat sexual minorities.
“…Being LGBT does not make you less human. And that is why gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights,” Secretary Clinton said.
That hope was soon dampened when President Sirleaf, in an interview with The Guardian, defended the current law that criminalizes homosexuality.
Then, Jewel Howard Taylor, former first lady, senator, and later vice president, introduced a bill to make homosexuality a first-degree felony. That bill did not pass.
Sirleaf later backpedaled on her earlier remarks in an interview alongside former Irish President Mary Robinson, saying, incorrectly, that no law criminalizes homosexuality in Liberia.
With U.S. President Donald Trump back in Washington for his second and final term, the high hopes of the LGBTQ+ community have dampened.
Liberian law criminalizes same-sex sexual acts. Articles 14.74, 14.79, and 50.7 of the Penal Code of 1976 consider “voluntary sodomy” a first-degree misdemeanor, with a penalty of up to one year’s imprisonment.
In 2024, Representative Johnson N. Williams of River Gee County introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Act, calling for harsher penalties against LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies, aligning Liberia with Uganda and other nations with strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws.
Police Formal Compaint
Local police confirmed that they received a formal complaint from Angel following the incident. An officer at the Ganta Police Depot, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they arrested several of the alleged attackers for attempted murder but later released them after the case was settled at the community level.
“With the complaint the victim brought, we took statements from both parties,” the officer said. “It was clear the accused were wrong to attack her. We initially detained them, but the community chairman intervened, and the victim’s family agreed to settle the matter outside of court. A document was signed for follow-up in case of future conflict.”
The police officer added that while they aim to uphold the law, community pressure often leads to informal resolutions that undermine justice.
Human rights defenders have condemned the attack as a violation of basic human rights and dignity.
“This assault clearly violated Angel’s rights as a Liberian citizen,” said Emmanuel Johnson, human rights activist and social worker in Nimba County. “Being transgender or gay is not a crime. Everyone deserves equal protection under the law.”
Johnson emphasized that Liberia’s lack of legal protections for LGBTQ+ people allows such violence to persist unchecked. “We all are humans and deserve to live freely and safely, regardless of our gender, sexual orientation, or who we love,” he added.
The assault underscores the ongoing stigma faced by LGBTQ+ individuals across Liberia. In many communities, cultural and religious beliefs fuel discrimination and violence against people who do not conform to traditional gender norms.
Human rights groups say this latest attack reflects a broader pattern of intolerance that demands urgent national attention. “When violence is normalized, impunity grows,” said a Monrovia-based activist who asked not to be named. “Until there are laws explicitly protecting LGBTQ+ people, these attacks will continue.”
Advocates are calling on the Liberia Equality Network, Stop AIDS in Liberia (SAIL), and other human rights organizations to provide psychosocial and legal support for Angel as she recovers from her injuries and trauma.
They also urge the Liberia National Police to reopen the case and ensure that perpetrators face justice.
“This is not just about one person,” said Johnson. “It’s about every Liberian’s right to live free from violence and fear.”
For Angel, the journey to healing has only begun. “I want justice,” she said quietly. “And I want people to understand that being different shouldn’t mean being beaten or left to die.”