Of the 275 new sexual violence cases treated between January and April by Doctors Without Borders in Liberia, 28 percent involve children aged 4 or younger, and 33 percent involve children aged 5 through 12.

“The rape of little children is common,” said Oretha Brooks, a social worker at the excellent Duport Road Clinic in Monrovia. “It happens on a daily basis.” She introduced me to Wynnie, a 9-year-old girl in her waiting room who had been raped twice.

Yet there are signs of progress. Liberia’s president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first woman elected a president in Africa, has sent strong signals that rape is intolerable. Aid groups like the Carter Center are working to promote the rule of law and punish the rapists…

Maybe the greatest reassurance came from Jackie, the resilient 7-year-old. She appeared to have overcome the stigma of rape, for she explained that she wanted to grow up to build shelters for abused girls, adding, “I want to be president for Liberia.”[/qu