As many as 500,000 women have been raped in acts of war in The Democratic Republic of Congo. 22 year-old year old Basemae made the ‘mistake’ of calling out the name of one of her rapists, whom she recognized during the attack. Her punishment was to have both her eyes gouged out. Children too have been targeted by armed men as they rampage through villages. Countless young girls and boys have been sexually violated. A recent peace agreement struggles to keep warring factions apart, and as the chaos that accompanies war continues, so does the rape.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo as many as 500,000 women have been raped in acts of war. A recent peace agreement struggles to keep warring factions apart, and as the chaos that accompanies war continues, so does the rape. Twenty-two-year-old Basemae Maombi made the ‘mistake’ of calling out the name of one of her rapists, whom she recognized during the attack. Her punishment was to have both her eyes gouged out. In September 2009 the United Nations passed resolution 1888 recognising sexual violence used in armed conflicts as a war crime. 1888 will not stop the crime immediately, nor will it erase the physical and psychological damage suffered by those abused. Optimists say that it is a move in the right direction. Others believe that without concrete actions – steps taken to address the route cause of the conflict and lawlessness, rape will continue to be used as a weapon of war.