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Eastern DRC: widespread sexual violence against women threatens families
Countless women in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have fallen prey to sexual violence carried out by armed bands. The ICRC provides support to local groups which help traumatized women recover. Bernard Barrett reports on the scourge of Kivu and meets two of the victims.
Sexual violence in the DRC: “I have no hope for a better life”
A teenager, who we’ll call Soso, has twice been the victim of rape attacks by armed groups – one of many in the dangerous areas of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
©ICRC/B. Barrett
18-year-old Soso and her one-year-old son. Soso was first abducted and raped by armed groups at the age of fourteen. A second attack in 2006 left her pregnant.
"The first time was in 2003. I was 14 years old. They came at night and broke into our house. They beat my father and took everything valuable in the house. We had to carry the goods they had stolen into the forest for them.
"We were four girls and two men. All along the road, they beat the men but told the girls not to be afraid. Then they raped two of the girls and sent them home." Soso and another girl were then taken into the forest and raped there.
"In 2006, they came back to our village. They surprised us and captured the village chief. When they reached the forest, they locked the chief in a house and set it on fire. Then they raped us, one girl after the other.
"In our village we are used to unending conflict. Each time we would move away, but the armed groups would always find us. They always discovered where we hide and then there was no way to protect ourselves."
"My life has completely changed since the two attacks. After the last one I became pregnant. From that time, I was helpless. My father died and my family does not have the means to take care of me. I had to come to Bukavu on my own, for safety. Fortunately I heard of Mama Vico and she is doing her best to take care of me and my son.
"My life has become difficult, I am unhappy that I can't live my life in a normal way. I do not have faith or hope for a better life in the future. I was raped while I was a little girl.
“I cannot be married now with a baby and I do not know the father. I am not able to take care of him if he is ill, or even to feed and clothe him properly."
