Rape as a weapon of war in DR Congo

War has raged through the Democratic Republic of Congo for more than a decade — it has been called the deadliest conflict since World War II.
The United Nations estimates that 200,000 women and girls have been raped in that time, some victims as young as three years old.

Both the Congolese army and rebel groups have condoned rape as a weapon of war.

Armed groups use rape to tear apart families, spread disease and weaken communities. Women are often victimized doubly — first by their rapists and secondly by spouses or family members who then find it dishonorable or socially unacceptable to associate with them.

Join Michael Kavanagh and Worldfocus anchor Martin Savidge, along with other experts, on a live webcasted radio show on roots of the conflict and prospects for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo at 7:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Dec. 16: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Worldfocus

Worldfocus video podcast: http://feeds.feedburner.com/worldfocus

http://worldfocus.org/

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Congo
• Lisa Biagiotti
• Michael J. Kavanagh
• Michael Kavanagh
• Pulitzer Center
• rape
• refugees
• Taylor Krauss
• Bijan Rezvani
• United Nations
• women
• news
• Worldfocus
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• Focus

[jefftroyer]

a real man stands up for his wife, defending and protecting her from others.. who cares what other's think of him.. His duty is to his wife. The men who shun their wives after a rape are not men, but boys.. they should grow up and learn to lead and love.

[stephorna]

May God punish these men

[annanmarlee]

Stupid husbands! Horrible!



[sandramukendi115]

hellaskinnyskin, you are very stupid ... it is not a subject to joke about...idiot

[BRUCEkbg]

@jefftroyer I agree that if a man really loves his wife then he would stick with her. It was heartbreaking what she said at the end about still loving her husband and apologising to him for being raped, which is absolutely ridiculous. But this issue is a larger cultural problem. They need more social education programs here.

[hellaskinnyskin]

i wanna go to congo now free sex everywhere

[patriciacarrasco]

this is shameful....

[zebracactusshark]

Theres no way for me to say that rape isnt awesome with a straight face.

[MrSupertwo]

That's messed up....

[piann00b]

it seems that love is synonymous with sex most often, and because these men are scared to have sex with their raped girlfriend/wife, they just abandon them. Love is much more than sex IMO and that thought needs to be broken.

[ScepticalPenguin]

She has asked her husband to forgive her for being raped.... that's horrible : (

I agree with jefftroyer, their sense of honour and duty is very strange.