On September 3rd, the United Nations reported that at least 240 people, including 28 minors, were raped during barbaric attacks that took place between July 30 and August 17 in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The ages of the documented victims range from 11 to 17 years old. The UN was notified about the onslaught in the DRC’s North Kivu province by International Medical Corps (IMC), and alleges that the atrocities were committed by the Rwandan rebel group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda.
According to a statement released by IMC, “nearly all reported rapes were described as having been perpetrated by two to six armed me
n, often taking place in front of the women’s children and husbands.” This kind of animosity has been a long-standing tragic reality in eastern DCR, one that actress and IMC Global Ambassador Sienna Miller has been bringing attention to since she visited the Congo last year. During her travels, Miller learned that a DRC woman is raped every “Eight Minutes.”
In the video below, Dr. Denis Mukwege makes a compelling point: The great progress in this region for the past ten years has been to break the silence and make women feel strong. I have to say that while we have not been able to stop rape we are seeing the beginnings of a change because of people like you and others are saying, “what is going on here?”
To learn about how you can help IMC treat victims and save the lives of endangered women and children, go here.
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Tags: Africa, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, International Medical Corps., Sienna Miller, United Nations
