COPING WITH SEXUAL AND GENDER BIAS VIOLENCE IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)

By Fatos Baudouin
(Ms. Baudouin is a member of the Africa Study Group. She is active as an international consultant)

"War is an inherently patriarchal activity, and rape is one of the most extreme expressions of the patriarchal drive towards masculine domination over the woman. This patriarchal ideology is further enforced by the aggressive character of the war itself that is to dominate and control another nation or people." (Rashida Manjoo and Calleigh Mc Raith: 2010 symposium, Gander Base Violence and justice in conflict and post conflict areas)

The ongoing war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DCR) has led to a dramatic increase in sexual violence against women, children and young people in the eastern part of the country. According to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the conflict has, since its origin in 1998, generated over 3.8 million victims, some 3.4 million IDPs (Internationally displaced people) and millions of refugees.

Today peace remains tentative, particularly in the eastern provinces. As military activities continue to be carried out in that region, so are rapes and other crimes against women, children and young girls.



Sexual violence is used as a weapon of war by most of the armed parties involved in the conflict. Consequently, sexual and gender bias violence (SGBV) constitutes the greatest threat to women’s reproductive/sexual health in eastern DRC. The real number of cases remains unknown though estimated to be several times higher than the official figures. Social stigmatization, secondary victimization and impunity deter victims from reporting acts of violence and seeking assistance. These factors also explain the lack of reliable and comprehensive statistics for the number of survivors. Some women go to the police; very few seek medical help or contact mental health care facilities. Most victims remain silent. It makes matters still worse that no set procedure exists to follow up on SGVB cases and that coordination among institutions is lacking. In these conditions, it is difficult even to estimate the real extent of the problem.

Socio-economic and cultural factors further exacerbate the problem. Women who have been raped face increasing economic difficulties. Many are prevented from returning to their families and are compelled to find other sources of income. The WHO reports that in more than a third of the rapes, families refused to accept the victims again. Girls and women who were raped are less likely to marry and at much greater risk of being pushed to the bottom of the socio-economic scale. The resulting lack of income can contribute to further sexual exploitation. Research shows that victims of SGVB must cope with an increased risk of being engaged in low-paid and dangerous occupational activities such as prostitution, in order to survive. Economic constraints faced by women and girls who survived SGVB also hamper their access to health services.

In many instances, rape survivors who became pregnant will face added difficulties raising their children. Children of rape victims are often rejected, neglected and /or stigmatized.

The risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS rises significantly in relation to the number of rapes because HIV prevalence among soldiers and combatants is around 60% in the conflict region (as compared to a national rate of 4.2%) and victims of rape obviously cannot protect themselves. Even in times of peace the infection rate among the military runs as much as five times higher than in the civilian population. It further aggravates the problem that perpetrators do not have to fear judicial retribution. Women who have suffered rape rarely identify their offenders, many of whom originate from outside the local community. In addition, groups in positions of power, whether the police or delinquent groups, take advantage of a climate of impunity and an entrenched culture of violence. They are, as a result, increasingly involved in sexual harassment against women.

Humanitarian agencies (WHO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF), NGOs, governmental bodies and local communities in the DRC have made some progress in addressing the problem of SGBV. The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) classification of rape as genocide was a major step forward. Nevertheless, gaps still adversely affect the coverage, comprehensiveness, quality and coordination of services.

Credit must also be given to the DRC government which has shown an increasing interest in addressing SGBV and has distributed advocacy material to raise public awareness on women’s issues.

Progress is being made, but it remains limited and the world community is still far from providing an adequate response to sexual and gender bias violence, be it in the DRC, or in other regions affected by conflict.