In the Democratic Republic of Congo, many victims of rape are still treated as the criminals
Christian Today reports: In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) there is no place where a woman feels safe. With an estimated 48 women being sexually assaulted every hour and at least 12% of the female population having been raped at least once (1), the DRC has more sexual crimes than any other country in the world.
Rape has been a problem in Africa’s second largest country since the conflict between the national army and the Rwandan armed forces began in 1998. It has been used with devastating efficiency to humiliate, silence and destroy the lives of many.
Victims are brutally violated in front of their families or kidnapped and held hostage for weeks, months or even years. One of them is Chiruku, who was abducted in 2009 while collecting firewood with her baby son.
After a three hour walk to the camp, she recalls how four soldiers began to intimidate her.
“They ended up raping me,” the 22-year-old recalls.
Chiruku only managed to escape with the help of the commander’s wife and was able to get back to her husband.
However, he was not relieved to see that his wife and child were alive or had escaped a horrific ordeal. Instead he disowned them both, calling Chiruku the “Interahamwe’s woman” (2).
Survivors of rape do not only suffer from physical and emotional pain, but they also need to cope with the rejection from their family, partners and community.
The stigma surrounding rape in the DRC is still so strong that many victims are ostracised by families and partners.
“They have to heal doubly“, explains Pascale Palmer, Senior Press Officer at Catholic Aid Agency CAFOD.
Chiruku’s son tragically died and she later gave birth to a daughter, Grace, the product of the rape. Both have become socially marginalised.
“Some people are saying that I have AIDS, and my child will always be badly thought of by those people who know my story,” she explains.
Rape has become an epidemic in the DRC – and well beyond the areas of conflict. It has become “part of the culture”, asserts Katie Harrison, Media Officer at Tearfund.
More at:
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/the.stigma.of.rape/29233.htm