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Congolese Women Confront Legacy of Rape: War and Sexual Violence Leave Survivors in Desperate Need

Authored by: Mary Kimani

Categories: Human Rights, Violent Conflict
Sub-Categories: Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), Sexual and Reproductive Health
Country: Democratic Republic of Congo
Region: Sub-Saharan Africa
Year: 2007
Citation: Kimani, Mary. "Congolese Women Confront Legacy of Rape: War and Sexual Violence Leave Survivors in Desperate Need." Africa Renewal 20, no. 4 (2007): 4-6.

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Executive Summary

“If there had been peace, this would not have happened to us,” says Kasoke Kabunga. Like thousands of other women, Kasoke and her daughter were raped by armed militiamen in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Her daughter died. Kasoke survived, but contracted HIV/AIDS. Their tragedy is the female face of 10 years of war in the DRC, which has claimed more than 3 million lives and displaced another 3.5 million people. Today, a handful of courageous Congolese women are seeking to help Kasoke and other rape survivors find solutions to the many problems facing them.