On Monday November 10th, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will sign a peace agreement with the M23 rebel group it has been fighting since last November. Although a cease-fire has been declared, the country has endured nearly two decade of violent conflict that have left deep scars upon the population. One of the most damaging experiences has been the prevalence of sexual violence used as an act of war. This form of violence has had devastating effects upon women, children and men throughout society.
Women and girls who have been victims of rape suffer not only from physical injuries but also from emotional and psychological scars of their experiences. Consequently, many children born out of rape end up in orphanages, abandoned by their mothers out of shame and humiliation. Due to the stigma associated with rape, victims are often rejected by their families and communities who hope to distance themselves from the disgrace. This leaves women without support systems and resources the need to survive and recover from their trauma.
For both the victims and their families there can be significant mental health consequences to the experience of sexual violence. Despite widespread experiences of trauma after decades of war, the DRC has only six mental health hospitals, one outpatient facility and approximately 40 psychiatrists for a population of 68 million people.
In a discussion of rape as a weapon of war, the UN Security Council stated “women and girls are particularly targeted by the use of sexual violence, including as a tactic of war to humiliate, dominate, instil fear in, disperse and/or forcibly relocate civilian members of a community or ethnic group.”
It is unknown exactly how many women and girls in the country have been victims of rape, but a study done in 2011 estimated more than 2 million women currently living in the DRC had been subjected to sexual violence. One hospital reported that 300 women were being treated for rape related injuries every month. With rape being so prevalent throughout the country, the Democratic Republic of Congo has gained itself the moniker “rape capital of the world.”
Interviews with soldiers earlier this year demonstrated the horrifying experiences these women were subjected to by soldiers on either side of the conflict. One soldier recounted that “you see one, you catch her, you take her away and you have your way with her. Sometimes you’d kill her…When you’d finish raping then you’d kill her child.” Another soldier stated that “raping gives us a lot of pleasure. When we rape we feel free.”
Creative Commons Love: Julien Harneis on Flickr.com
Written by Amanda Lubit