Theatre and dance in the battle against sexual violence

02-03-2011 Photo gallery

In Irangui (Democratic Republic of the Congo), dance and theatre are passing on the message that rape victims need the support of friends and families as they reintegrate into their communities.

- A village in the Bunyakiri region, about 100 km from Bukavu, the capital of Sud-Kivu province. Some of the fields belonging to the people of the village are several hours’ walk away through the forest.
  © ICRC / P. Yazdi / v-p-cd-e-01192
- Irangui’s “maison d’écoute” (literally “listening house”), is a place to which people can come for counselling and help. Many have suffered sexual violence. These unique centres form part of a huge programme aimed at encouraging communities to accept the victims of sexual violence.
  © ICRC / P. Yazdi / v-p-cd-e-01190
- Dance is a traditional way of promoting solidarity within the community. Here, it is being used to pass on difficult messages, such as those related to sexual violence.
  © ICRC / P. Yazdi / v-p-cd-e-01187
- In this sketch, a rape victim is being comforted by her family. Almost 1,000 people attended the show.
  © ICRC / P. Yazdi / v-p-cd-e-01185
- Two women from the Bunyakiri region look at a leaflet explaining that rape victims need the support of friends and family, and encouraging rape victims to visit health centres. Sexual violence is approached by means of drawings.
  © ICRC / P. Yazdi / v-p-cd-e-01186
- Between a dance and a sketch, mwami (chief) Misikami Nzibiro explains to hundreds of villagers how important it is to reintegrate the victims of sexual violence into the community. Traditionally, the words of a mwami command great respect.
  © ICRC / P. Yazdi / v-p-cd-e-01189
- The local radio station broadcasts the words of the chiefs during the awareness-raising session in Irangui. The equipment is basic, and the transmitter only has a range of about 4 km, but the station plays an important role in a region where communication is limited.
  © ICRC / P. Yazdi / v-p-cd-e-01191
- The chiefs of nine villages in Bunyakiri meet in a classroom. Together with social workers and an ICRC psychologist, they are discussing how best to reintegrate the victims of sexual violence into the community.
  © ICRC / P. Yazdi / v-p-cd-e-01184

Theatre and dance in the battle against sexual violence

02-03-2011 Photo gallery

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