Research on sexual violence in DRC is extremely challenging. Sexual violence is deeply stigmatized in and many of those affected live in remote or insecure regions.
This paper conducts a study of sexual violence survivors at Panzi Hospital located in Bukavu, South Kivu Province. The paper aims to determine where and how women are being attacked and what makes them vulnerable to sexual violence. It also looks at how the rape epidemic in South Kivu has evolved over the last five years.
Key findings:
- In South Kivu, women are subjected to sexual violence regardless of age, marital status or ethnicity. The majority of rape survivors are illiterate and rely on subsistence farming to support their families. Most rape survivors wait extended periods of time before accessing medical care and many arrive at Panzi hospital alone, without the support of family or friends. Over half of all perpetrators (52%) were identified as being armed combatants and 42% as “assailants”. Analysis of the patterns of violence, strongly suggests that “assailants” also comprised largely of armed combatants. Thus, the sexual violence in South Kivu is largely militarized. Military rape in South Kivu is marked with a predominance of gang rape. Sexual slavery is also common, with some women being held captive for several years. More frequently involves young, single women.
- An analysis of sexual violence trends over time revealed that the total number of reported assaults at Panzi Hospital had steadily decreased between 2004 and 2008. The analysis also demonstrated a civilian adoption of rape. From 2004 to 2008, the number of civilian rapes increased by an astounding 1733% or 17-fold, while the number of rapes by armed combatants decreased by 77%. These findings imply a normalization of rape among the civilian population, suggesting the erosion of all constructive social mechanisms that ought to protect civilians from sexual violence.
- Sexual violence survivors require urgent support including medical services, psychological counselling and social assistance. The approach to survivor care must involve men at all stages, allowing families to recover together as a unit. In addition to assisting child survivors of sexual violence and children born out of rape, assistance must also be provided to all children who have been indirectly affected by sexual violence.
- The Congolese government and its international allies should work to reduce sexual violence linked to military action. They should also build on the legal/justice initiatives taken to date, particularly the law on sexual violence and the government’s announcement of “zero tolerance” for crimes against civilians by its armed forces. Data reviewed in this report corroborate other observations indicating that the incidence of sexual violence spikes at times of active military engagement. Also, although DRC boasts one of the most progressive laws on sexual violence in sub-Saharan Africa, low rates of criminal prosecution and a culture of impunity within the armed forces have helped to make rape horrifyingly commonplace across the country.
- The Congolese security services and MONUC must ensure that their protective deployments are tailored to local realities. Analysis of the Panzi Hospital dataset suggests that the majority of sexual assaults take place away from the radius of most deterrent action by national and international protection actors – in homes, at night, in fields and in the bush, and on minor roads.
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