In regards to Women Rape in Congo: It would seem strange if rape and murder didn’t happen in Africa. This was happening in the time of slavery when slave women were raped by their masters; white men with some level of education and relative moral values. What’s there to expect from African men who grow up watching their mothers and sisters being raped and their fathers being killed in front of them. For them, that is the routine of their lives; that is their standard. Children who are not thought morals and values cannot differentiate between good and evil, they only see that the powerful men are the rebels and the weak are them. When they grow they choose to be the powerful, just like an American child wants to be Spiderman when they grow. Even though African children suffer and see their family suffer when they’re abused, they still have no one else to look up to than the powerful rebel men. Therefore, these men become their heroes. When these children grow, they are recruited by the rebels, they are drugged, brain watched, thought that to be a real man they should be brave enough to rape and kill, so this is what they become. They have never been shown love and kindness. They do not know what these feelings are and do not understand them. All they know how to give is violence and pain, so they do it and become the rebels of the future. They are not bad people, they are just victims who become victimizers. The only solution is what everyone already knows, education and evolution, this is what has changed every society anyhow. Time. Susana Soler.
All they know how to give is violence and pain, so they do it and become the rebels of the future. They are not bad people, they are just victims who become victimizers.
To comment on Susana post about the women rape in Congo. I believe you said "When they grow they choose to be the powerful, just like an American child wants to be Spider-man when they grow. Even though African children suffer and see their family suffer when they’re abused, they still have no one else to look up to than the powerful rebel men. Therefore, these men become their heroes".I have to disagree with that statement their are a lot of American kids that have role models and that was love throughout there childhood that end up raping women, gang,and murder.That is the choice they make,just like the men in Congo.
Jose, there are always exceptions you are right. But you can't deny that a big percentage of killers and rapers have a history of violence and disorder in their families. For example, parents that were drug addicts or drunks, that spent time in jail for crimes, parents that abuse their children. Psychology studies that these disorders in childhood tend to traumatize children who later in life become the product of what their family were. Remember children learn by example, if the only example a child in Congo has is murder and suffering, that's the only thing they learn. Of course this is not the case of absolutely all of the men in Congo but it is the most obvious reason for the majority to end up the way they do. If you disagree, tell me another reason why you think these crimes are happening in Congo and why these man become such cold blooded killers.
I think is absolutely awfull. The first thing that comes to mind when i read this is comparison against what we go through in our society. Is it any worse or the opposite? we definetely don't have to worry about rebels terrorizing our neighborhoods and gang raping women but, we do worry about a larger variety of issues in the same and higher levels of disturbance. It is difficult to compare these things when the difference in culture and society is such a prominent factor. Due to such differences the outcome of these acts varies on how bad it affects someone. I think the trauma and overall damage is more intense for them because, they are raised believing rape is one of the worse things that could happen to a female and at the same time knowing that chances of it happening are high, therefore growing up terrorized about when is their worse nightmare going to come true. It is so sad. My point is that it is something sad, alarming and wrong in everyway but, these type of situations happen in every country, wether is gang rape or a massacre, etc. People all over the world suffer up to this same level of trauma that women do in the Congo, from different acts of hatred or whatever else it is that motivates a human being to damage another so much. So when I read it my thoughts are: the face of evil... meaning evil at its worse however, there can only be one face to a body which leads me to think that evil its a monster with many many faces all over our world.
According to the article, this situation has been existed for more than a decade.Itis a painfull situation for the women all over the world but more particular for those who are in congo and in Africa. All you see in the women face is sadness and hopelessness. It seems that they are waiting for someone to do something for them but without knowing where this help is coming from.There is always a good explanation for all things. Event does not happen by chance there is something that provokes this situation. Can someone explain to me the origin of this inhuman problem? It is time to make an end to such an awfull situation. Does anyone have a suggestion?
Regarding the problem that is going on in Congo with the women rapped.
I think is the most horrible thing that it could happend to a family that because of war they have to go through all those problems and in most of the cases they get rapped in front of their own family , and that leads to some husbands to leave their wifes and they stay all by themselves with all those bad memories .
I believe that this organization that helps this women to get back to life is incredible because if it wasnt for them im not sure how this women could go through all these issues by themselves.
I hope that the situation gets better because its not fair for them.
In regards of Women Rape in Congo: In my opinion the situation in kongo and a lot of African countries is really bed. And the worst part about it that nobody knows when the situation will change. Looking at this women makes me said, knowing that besides of being raped, the situation inside of Kongo is so bed, that people are barely getting education, and it is not because they don't want it, it's because they are not getting any opportunity to even have one. On the other hand it is men's fault also, because seeing all the bed things happening to their family while being a child, and then still grow up and become one of them is just not right. And there is always a choice, sometimes it's better to die for something good, than do bed thing throughout your life!
Indeed this is a horrifying case what happens to these women and there should be some way to change this and stop it from repeating itself over and over again. In regards to Susana's comments, Pyschology studies do show that what children see from their elders, is something that is most likely to repeat itself, the so called "statics". But as Jose mentioned, every human being has their own mindset and make their own decisions, regardless of the type of role models they've seen throughout their life. Some people have some of the best role models in their life and turn out to be the complete opposite of what they're expected to be. Susana mentioned that a big percentage of killers and rapers have a history of violence and disorder in their families but what about those who have never had any of that in their families and turned out like that? Some people see the violence in their families and work on being better for themselves. It's a tramatizing situation and some grow up into not wanting to relive that trama. The organization is quite helpful because these women after going through such a tramatizing experience where unwanted pregnanies happen, diseases are caught as well as physical and mental damage is done, they are given another opportunity to move forward and not live in fear but that fear most likely,will always be in the back of their heads. Just like there is an organization to help these women, there should also be something to help the men that do these things because sometimes it can be some type of problem they can have wheather its mentally or anger. It's true that they're actions towards these women are horrible but sometimes a punishment can overdo it or can be just as bad in a different way. We see and hear the pain in the women but do we really deep down know why the men do it? We should all be able to help each other out as equal human beings.
Susana, what I stated to you is a question of choice is because I live through something similar to what is going on in Congo. I remember when I was a young child in Haiti during the coup d’etat in September 30 1991 it was a similar situation, some men broke into people houses, they raped, and murder just to mention a few. They even raped a cousin of mine in front of her family, but yet none of the men in my family became like those men even thought they witnessed such horrific things. I have lots of friends whose from different countries of Africa. They overcame those same obstacles that the citizens in Congo are going through. My personal friends from Africa who went through those obstacles wanted something better for themselves, because they morals and values.
That is an interesting point Jose. But I am still trying to understand and learn from you what your point of view really is. If you don't think that these men become killers because of the violence they have been through and because some of them have seen no moral values or kindness in their lives, then why do you think that a man in Congo can join a gang of rebels and kill entire villages and rape women and girls and even elder women? I know some make a choice and some other get abducted by the rebels and forced to become one of them (watch the movie "Blood Diamond" and see how gangs kidnap children and drug them and train them to become soldiers of the rebels) But those who make the choice if there's any, why do you think they do it? Don't tell me because they are bad man and evil and they just have no heart. Nobody is born evil or saint, everyone's character is shaped and molded according to the environment they grow in (yes i know there might be exeptions but they are the few that's why they are "exceptions"). So there are the reasons why I think (I might be completely wrong because i am not sure) that this situation is going on in Congo. What are your reasons? What do you think the causes are for these men to become so evil?
From a broader social science POV, I drew a couple of conclusions
1)Rape is said to be an act of violence, not sexual conquest. 2)Men who rape are usually acting out feelings of anger and desperation- they torture and brutalize one who is vulnerable, one whom they feel is inferior to them, to gain some control 3)There is so much violence in Congo one would question whether the Republic of Congo is governing itself or is under coup by these rogues 4)The rogues have been so effective with their fear tactics that people will shame their own mother/wife/sister etc for being a victim of senseless horrific crime
This is not just a problem in Africa, it does happen all over the world. Rape victims in America were once generally subjected to public shame and/or secrecy for being victims of this particular horror- I believe the social understanding of things like this have changed with the development of public education, which most tribes in Congo and other countries in Africa lack. But the frequency, “success”, and lack of justice with these crimes is the difference- and that there are so many groups of desperate men roaming the countryside using it as a weapon to instil fear into their fellow citizens. Why, if the Congo was a stable democracy, why would this be happening? It doesn't appear that Congan citizens have many options within their own boundaries- resulting in a nation of people making the majority of their choices outside of their own will. Possibly they have never even considered what they would do if given free choice. I do not believe this in any way excuses the actions of these men, however, they are not all out of their minds or simply evil. This behavior is learned from somewhere, and it is taught for a purpose. They must believe they can get away with it without consequences, since there is such an extensive amount of evidence. The government has no control over these people. In our own country, people who mature without hope or structure turn to gangs and violence to have a sense of purpose... In reality we cannot really project how these human beings have suffered with violence as such a part of their daily lives. This is why they resort to whatever they think will give them a way out- even if it is committing the same acts that traumatized them. At least they have some control in that situation, rather than being the victim. This is the way life is in most of Africa- do first, before it is done to you.
My thoughts on the rapes in Congo are mutual to most of you guys. It's wrong. There can be many key factors to what manipulates or temps these men to perform these types of actions. Whether it being from problems during their childhood, mental problems, or "monkey see, monkey do." Overall it is incorrect and these rapes should come to a stop. I believe that the government is not taking action in stoping these men from continuing these acts. Like Andrea mentioned if there is a organization to help the women out, why is there not one to help the men. I think some the the men that are include in the rebel gangs can be the ex-husbands of the wivies that were raped. In the video it mentioned that after the husband see their wife get raped they end leaving the wife because they find them useless to society and their lives. After seeing this they might want to join them. This all depends on the way these so called rebels think. I say so called because these men are not men at all to go around ruining the lives for other. I see most of you get statistics or look at the psychological studies but the right and only way to get the answers is by actually catching these men and asking them why. Another way, I think this act can be lowered is by the government stepping in and taking action in protecting these villages.
It is a really sad and a horrible thing that is happening to those women over there in Congo. I remember watching a document when those men who commit some of those rape gloating and saying that the more they rape, especially virgin, they would be cure of AIDS. Some may argue that it is obvious that they are not educated and are acting out of ignorance. But, ignorance does not interfere with someone’s heart and what is moral. My general statement; feel free to disagree but society all over the world has pegged women as weaklings and can’t defend themselves but what they fail to see is that us, women, can fight and defend, especially with ourselves with our voices. That’s what the women of Congo are doing. And I love and appreciate that after all their struggles they are not letting it stop them from fighting for justice and prevention.
Daisy Gigantana said... I'm appalled and disgusted on what was happening to women in Congo. . When Professor discussed what will be the topic on this board, it just happened that I saw an article in CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/08/25/congo.rapes.un/index.html) about the rape to women in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Armed militia men or rebels raided unsuspecting villages. These villages were trapped since they don't have weapon to protect themselves. Unfortunately, women and children tend to be the victim in this situation. What hurts the most for me, when I listened to the interview from one of the victim stating that her husband left her after the rape had happened. If I put myself in this situation, it will destroy my willingness to live. I will ask myself what is my purpose in life when someone took it away from me. I will be in total disarray especially the man I love supposed to protect and honor me instead left me with the kids. Also, these women were physically abused then rape, even mutilated. Perhaps, getting pregnant on unwanted sexual act and without a husband supporting them or a financial resources. These women tend to lived in despair and raising a child in despair. A doom scenario but it is a reality.
Rape and war go hand in hand, almost as if war is a sufficient condition for there to be rape. And seeing as the Congo is in a constant state of war, it comes as no surprise that rape is so common. Rape is a means of control. Men rape women to feel in control. It is a release for them to be able to escape from the idea that they have absolutely no control on anything in there life. There is no economy, stable government, no sense of protection and perhaps they feel that the only way they can be in control is to rape someone as they have seen done by others. So a part of the resolution to the problem lies somewhat in the resolution of the war.
It also has something to to do with how they were raised and their experience as children. If I was a child growing up in the congo and my mother was raped in front of me and I had to decide whether I wanted to be the rapist or the rapee, I think I would choose to be the rapist if those were the only two options I felt were open to me. I think that people would rather be in control and survive rather than righteous and dead. I do think that a better education 20 years ago in the Congo would eradicate many of the problems faced today. Children who cannot read or write and do not know the slightest thing about morality tend to make bad decisions in life which lead to worse decisions and eventualy to a life of degredation. However, I do not sympathize with anyone that would do such things and I do believe personally that no matter what upbringing someone has, they always deep down inside know whether something is right or wrong. The main difference between people and animals is that we are responsible for the decisons we make in life. Our current situation is a direct result of the decisions we have made in the past.
The sexual violence in Congo is definitely horrifying. I think the conflict started as a war between men but today it seems that it turned into a war against women, and the weapon being used to destroy them and their community is rape. As a woman I think rape must be one of the most horrifying things that we have to deal with. These women not only have to deal with the physical damage but also with moral damage. Survivors will never be able to have a normal life because their values and self steam are killed and these will affect them for the rest of their lives. It's hard to imagine what these women go through, the pain, the fear and the shame they have to live with. Unfortunately in their society, like in most societies, rape victims are dishonored. I also think lack of culture and education plays a big part in the way these men behave. Most of these people were raised in violence, without education and of course no moral values. Also their culture like many other cultures in the world, are funded by the stereotype that men are superior to woman. Men feel they need to prove they are superior and they tend to do this through violence, rape and torture. Today I think we all should do something to help these hundreds of thousand of women who have been raped in Congo over the years because their government is clearly not doing enough. We also need to stop war, each new war is followed by more violence, rape and torture.
Rape is one of the most disgusting crimes in the world. I wish something more could be done to protect these women. There needs to be a strong forceful government willing to take care of this problem. This shouldnt be happening, these women have already faced enough.This is horrific. These women have no protection and no way out. My heart goes out to them. It has been Africa's widest war, with half a dozen national armies and several rebel groups fighting over the wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. All of them have been violating the rights and the bodies of women. According to an article that I recently read,In Congo, as in many traditional societies, the stigma of rape, a resulting pregnancy and the poverty of widowhood, can be a crushing burden. Even if peace comes, women will continue to be in peril.In addition,women are abused in jails and dragooned into sexual slavery. When they form self-help groups they are harassed by both government and anti-government authorities. Nuns have been among the victims of intimidation.A U.N. human rights investigation mission will be launched in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Wednesday, U.N. officials announced Tuesday, after gruesome reports surfaced in the media of the systematic gang rape of nearly 200 women in a 21km stretch of 15 villages. A joint U.N. human rights team verified the perpetrators as Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda and Mai Mai Cheka rebel groups. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s spokesperson Martin Nesirky said in a briefing that the victims of the raid are currently receiving medical and psycho-social care. This is another example of both the level of sexual violence and the insecurity that continue to plague the DRC.
When ever I hear the word “rape” it brings a saddening feeling to me. This is an action that shows how one has been overpowered for all of the wrong reasons. This is just totally unacceptable to happen in any part of the world at any time. There isn’t a more hurtful crime that can be done to anyone besides murder of course. Unfortunately, in the rape stories learned about today to the women of Congo murder is one of the following steps after rape and not to mention the torture that is brought to the victims in between. What makes it even more saddening is how all of this is done in front of the victim’s family. So, this has not only has affected the victim but it has also affected the son, the daughter, and the husband. Everyone involved walks out a victim one way or another. This is just an inhumane act to do to another individual whether it is a child, teen, or adult woman. The reasons behind it just make it all the more worse. The fact that this is the way that a war is being fought in this part of the world instead of using the more conventional methods such as combat weapons is sickening. I mean don’t get me wrong no war is justified in any way. These cruel acts not only shows a sign of weakness by the rapists but it just go to shows how sick people can be. No mstter where they grew up or what they have seen in their lives their minds are not right.
I don't think I can or know how to express myself entirely on this subject. I mean of course, I feel extremely (i’m actually still speechless and i’ve been on this sentence for about 10 minutes) discouraged and disillusioned about life by an entirety. I couldn’t ever possibly manage to understand the pain and emotional suffering these women have been through. And talking about this from my point of view serves me as an individual and as a person in this world no purpose. What does talking about the rape exactly do? I understand we might be trying to learn about what’s going on in the world. But should we not be trying to figure out what to do instead? Is there anything that we can do? And if there is, what is it exactly?
Pain. Tears. Sweat. Blood. Abuse. Disgusting. Infections. Diseases. Life. Death. If only there where someone to tell us what to do is what I think. That’s all I can say, for now. Oh, and one more thing, what is right and what is wrong? And who is to say what is right and what is wrong?
What I found most disturbing is that the women are seen as the instigators, instead of victims. These women are sexually forced, and dominated by another man, in front of their family. And instead of helping her, they continue her never-ending nightmare by belittling her, and treating her as dirt. What is even more traumatic is that these women are not just being raped by rebels, but by soldiers serving in the national armies. It is becoming harder for them to trust any one of any side. Living in a country called the rape capital of the world, will only cause them to be in constant fear, or become complete numb to everything, until the point they no longer function. Suicide, and death will seem like the only option to this women, if they are not giving a helping hand.
Violence is a permanent state on Africa's countries. Since the european empires began trafficking slaves from Western Africa they promote its population kidnapping victims,mainly women and young people treating them cruelty. Today, after several civil wars the "rebels" still hurting indefense population looting their bodies instead material treasures. Rape is the big atrocity commited against women.We have to encourage and support international agencies like UN in order to help victims, but the main point is prosecute the rapist in the same way that human rights violators are. Since 2009 the number of women sexually attacked have increased. For instance, the punitive actions against the offenders has to be done inmediately.
It's sad and horrible to know that these type of war(man dominating woman) exist in Africa. It seems to be that some remote areas in Africa are still not developing properly, and thus the people's view in how a rape victim should be treated is far from correct(in my standards at least). Women are seen as the one who provoked instead of just being a victim, and that in turn makes them keep quiet, thus harboring the rapist and basically "allowing" it to continue, because of the silence, it's like a continuous cycle. My Aunt Recently went to Africa to a very small country called "Burundi". While there the people in Africa apparently have NEVER seen a "white" person, they didn't think it was possible, they were astonished. That led me to think, maybe Some parts of Africa are omitted from information from outside sources, whereby the people could learn to start developing properly as they get new ideas. It's just as someone once said "knowledge is power", during a war which i can't remember the name right now, all the books were ordered to be burned, why? because if you can't read than you can't learn and the one in power can stay in power. Maybe that is what is happening in some remote locations in Africa, maybe that's why so much violence is going on and the women feel so helpless, they are used to being treated like that for so many generations that it became a norm. what help will come to them they may ask? So they in turn keep quiet. Since in their heads, they lost all their dignity already.
In reagards to the situation of Women in Congo: After reading through the blog and the post of my fellow classmates, I will have to approach the subject from a different point of view. In the website, the post states that the rape is used against women as tool of fear: "man-against-woman brutality, a new weapon of fear." Well, I do believe that every action is in itself the reaction to a situation in the past that would have been imprinted in one's conscience. Then, the individual would subconsciously suppresses this trauma; however, the imprint in one's soul will make one act in a future situation in accordance to this past trauma or event. As Susana stated in her post, the History of slavery and the "Rape" of the African population (one should acknowledge that Africa is known for its Oil, minerals, gold, diamonds... and yet, all this wealth has been taken away from the African to the benefit of the Westerners.) The issue that should be raised is not why are men rapping women in Africa, but, in my humble opinion, how can an end be put to all this; what is it that humanity, which is responsible for all of this, should do to correct the mistakes made in the past, and redeem itself. I sure do believe that this Rape crisis in Africa is a call, a cry for help as the population, male and female, has been suffering, is suffering, and will suffer until justice is done.
I sure do believe that this Rape crisis in Africa is a call, a cry for help as the population, male and female, has been suffering, is suffering, and will suffer until justice is done.
As a more general point, yes, this is problem to be solved. But how?
Likewise to what everyone else has stated rape in general is sad. But to gather as a group and cause havoc on the innocent is weakness is my eyes. And the manner they choose to do it in it’s like it has become a tradition to their culture, or it’s the way of life. What they are doing is degrading to their women. To torture the woman after violating her is adding insult to injury, along with doing it in front of the woman’s family. You’ve done enough by raping her, and then you have the audacity to shoot her. I think the “Women for Women” is a good organization for the victims. It gives women a chance to seek refugee from the pain they’ve been through.
It sadness me to see the kind of ignorance that destroys communities like the one Congo this could all be stopped by the way it was started just ignorance one person influencing other. Isn’t that how everything starts with the idea? Revolutions need to take place for change. These women need to make a movement. If they don’t change neither will the outcome.
First of all, let me start off by saying this is horrible. This is horrible because no woman should ever have to feel the pain these women are feeling. And no man who commits these actions should be called a man. In another perspective, this is horrible because it shows the lack of evolution. This is not the first time a violent gang-rape has occurred. There are rapes everywhere, including our country. “Reports show that 1 in 6 women in the U.S. will be victims of a sexual assault” wikipedia. But even more frustrating than that is the fact that most of these women don’t speak up. Not only in Congo, but everywhere women are scared to speak up. Why do we live in a society where women are scared to stand up and say they were raped and fight for justice? To prevent rape is hard, but the only way is to put those who rape away. There will always be rapists, or “victims who become victimizers” Susana, but if we don’t come together as a society and speak up, then we become the victimizers, but we victimize ourselves as civilization and we slow down evolution. -Guigo Simoes
Congo remains one of the most unstable areas in Africa. There is an ongoing military offense against rebel groups that has forced thousands of people to loose and flee their own homes. During this tragic chaos, rape has turned into a common part of terrorizing families and towns. Rape has become part of the war tactic or weapon to take over a community or town. A sad reality is that many of the women who are raped are also teenage girls. This is a disgraceful and un-human form of intimidation, humiliation, control and show of force. These women are raped in front of their husbands and family. Then some are tortured or killed and at times the rebels even keep them as servants. These horrible and traumatic occurrences have a long term affect on these woman and their families. They are looked down on by the community, their husbands don’t want them, they live in depression, have low self-esteem, they fear to speak out because they don’t know what else the rebels might do to them. Typically there is no system of support and if any of these women come forward to speak to authorities they will not receive any form of justice because of public embarrassment or fear of retaliation. The lack of knowledge and education also plays a major role in Congo. Both men and women are uninformed, misguided and have no true understanding of human rights and the rights of women. I think that education for the younger and older generations will have a big impact on the future of Congo. Therefore, I applaud Women for Women International for creating this amazing organization and helping these women to re-establish their lives and teach them how to speak out. I think that if more women speak out and seek help, the more other women will come forward and changes will begin to happen.
The conflict in Congo is an unjustified genocide. The rebels in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are violating the human rights. The act of raping, killing and torturing is definitively and evil act. One of the reasons this is happening is because the trade of gold and the conflict minerals originated from Congo such as tin, tantalum and tungsten are funding the armed militants. Regulating the use of these products that contain those minerals such as mobile phones to jewelry can be a positive impact that will reduce the conflict in Congo. The rebels without money will not be able to afford the weapons. If the rebels are disarmed they will not act as “manliness” and would be easy to punish them. On the other hand as students we can raise awareness and vote for new legislations that will approve these new implementations, Of course we are not addressing this topic directly but we will lessen it. This conflict in Congo is happening for almost 10 years now. It seems that nobody is doing anything to stop the raping and other atrocities. More than four thousand people died in Congo civil war and thousands of innocent women each year are being rape. The program “Women for Women” is not enough. Congo needs help immediately with organizations that are willing to save the women. I understand that it is difficult to provide help to Congo especially with the armed rebels that are gaining more and more power and until they are not disarmed the atrocities will continue.
It’s sickening and extremely sad to read about these violent events happening in Africa. It’s horrible how often it is happening and how violent these rapings can get. It’s absolutely inhumane and is sickening to hear about some of the stories. It is also extremely surprising to me to hear that there’s only one gynecologist/surgeon in the ONE hospital of the town of Bukavu. More help needs to be sent out. These women are in desperate need of physical and mental health. It’s a shame that more people haven’t gotten together to do anything about this problem. It not only affects the woman, but the family as well. It tears them apart and causes them to live in fear. I don’t believe that this violence is just about war. It’s about these people claiming power over women and their families. It’s their way of getting a community to live in fear over them. They are people with no souls and are true monsters in this world. No reason can be given for these actions. Something needs to be done about this. “Women for Women” is a great organization but more help needs to be sent over to Africa to put a stop to this. This post has encouraged me to sign up for “women for women” to try to help, and I hope that it will encourage others to do the same.
I honestly and truly cant believe this occurred. How can men be so uncaring and unkind to just rape a women in front of their husband and children. Not only that but after they have satisfied them selves how could they be able to just shoot a women without thinking twice. WHAT ARE THEY MADE OUT OF.. STEAL? and the most horrifying part is the fact that the husband cant really much, someone that should be so powerful in the house hold, so strong, and protective, he need to close his eyes sit back and listen or watch and suffer to what ever is going on.and not only that, but they pass infections, its like you could at least protect yourself and others from that. i feel so bad for those women, suffering from depression and sleep lost and disease, i mean once your raped your never once the same person you where before. im so glad women for women had the heart to step in and help the women in need, and make them strong, and feel better for themselves. It feels good we have people doing that kind of good in the united states.
I honestly and truly cant believe this occurred. How can men be so uncaring and unkind to just rape a women in front of their husband and children. Not only that but after they have satisfied them selves how could they be able to just shoot a women without thinking twice. WHAT ARE THEY MADE OUT OF.. STEAL? and the most horrifying part is the fact that the husband cant really much, someone that should be so powerful in the house hold, so strong, and protective, he need to close his eyes sit back and listen or watch and suffer to what ever is going on.and not only that, but they pass infections, its like you could at least protect yourself and others from that. i feel so bad for those women, suffering from depression and sleep lost and disease, i mean once your raped your never once the same person you where before. im so glad women for women had the heart to step in and help the women in need, and make them strong, and feel better for themselves. It feels good we have people doing that kind of good in the united states.
This is an epic tragedy and you wonder if the cycle can be stopped. This type of violence will last through generations of women and children who are shunned and excommunicated for atrocities that have been committed against them. There is a substantial amount of research that relates those who are victimized as a child often become predators as adults. In a war-torn community where rape has become the normal rituals of passing militias, you have to question if this is the cultivation of multi-generational violence, or if this is just the beginning of what is to become a grave cross-continental horror. I found an interesting clip on why they rape these women. It’s awful that they believe that rape activates their "magic potion" that will help them be victorious in battle. This superstition seems to be embedded in them, which may have been passed down generationally to support the violence against women. In a sense, it reasons or justifies their actions and their guilt or hesitation vanishes. In one moment in the video clip, a soldier explains that women should give themselves and be "patriotic". It is horrific. Some rape out of retaliation, but others seem to believe that if their mother or sister were being raped, it would be tolerable if it were for a good or just cause. To change ones beliefs is quite difficult, so I cannot imagine there is an easy solution to this issue. Allison Mendoza
It is truly unfortunate that during war women are being raped. Many of these women lose their value not only as women but as a person as well. They are raped in front of their husbands, children, relatives, as well as in in front of other villagers in their village. Education needs to be a priority on how these women are the victims and not the provokers. That stereotype hinders not only the recuperation process but as well as the healing. Government needs to be able to provide better facilities for these women that are often left for dead in the Congo.
While watching the video, I had to pause for a moment to really grasp the insanity that goes on in the Congo. The Congo and its civil war can really bring tears to your eyes, especially if one doesn't often put themselves in a position to watch such atrocities. I think the victims in the Congo have very little choice about how they live. When they are children, they are under complete guard and hiding from these Militia members. As they become adults, their children are protected and keeping on high alert from rapists and assassins. Life can be very saddening and traumatic if you're constantly witnessing murders, rapes, and violence. Unfortunately though, seeing that's the normal behavior it actually creates a pattern in the brain within them, making it appear like the normal. The fact that a community of woman is constantly getting raped, it makes you lose faith in that it may never go away. These militia members are ruled through greed, anger, demonic behaviors and bribery. Of course, I’d assume these members were victims themselves growing up. Once the men reach their teenage years, they begin having some type of acknowledgement to these militia members. The members recruit them, give them money, show them what it's like to shoot a gun, and they join the team and begin causing hatred to the women. Obviously they don't know any better, cause it's what they are used to. It's a very unfortunate situation these women and communities are going through, but it does alleviate on a minor scale that they are being heard and people are actually doing something about it. I feel the woman's foundation on teaching literature to the woman, creates opportunity and advancement.
It is truly horrifying what these women are going through, but the problem isn't going to get any better. These people who are abusing these women are acting within societal norms for Congo, so in a way they are allowing for it to continue. People in the 70's were using drugs because it was a normal thing to do, until enough people came forth with the idea that it should be illegal, and then it was. I also do understand that these women don't deserve any of what they've experienced, as no woman does. Just as these people started off doing this little by little until it became widespread, the victims and families have to do the same. It may be hard to face their fear of these monsters, but if nothing changes then nothing will change for the future victims and their families. This cycle will continue and continue on because all that society knows is pain and abuse. Ashley Mueller-Gomez
While skimming through the comments I noticed somewhat of a pattern in the grammatical reactions of others. A majority of my classmates, or at least the comments I chose to read at random, justify these acts as nature vs. nurture in a summation of words but I see this as only a mere fraction of the reasoning for such atrocious acts towards an individual of the very gender that withstood the pain to conceive these monsters. I believe it is a conglomeration of mental and physical deprivation or excess of at any age and for any period of time that would be substantial for corruption. Groups of people ,such as the “Rwandan rebels”, that commit these acts of violence do so to induce the greatest amount of mental pain upon a society by means of expressing a ladder of mental and physical deprivations which has also brought them together by some form of common grounds. These are people who have slipped thought the cracks of society.
After reading the article and seeing the videos, I was at a loss for words. Aside from being hurt and saddened by what's happening, I could not imagine how this could be really going on somewhere. To me, this is just evil. In reagards to what Susana said, I understand that the rapists were victimized, but that does not give them an excuse to act like this. There has to be something in them that says, "Hey! This is wrong!" That just comes with being human. And I can't believe that in that society they would protect the rapist and blame the victim. And I don't care what the war is about. What makes you feel like you should rape a woman and then proceed to shoot her in the vagina? It makes no sense.
It is sad to know that things like this are still happening in lifetime. While my feelings are similar to most of you, the fact that this is horrible, morally wrong, due to lack of education, lack of respect for one another, there is more to this than we think. Upon researching other informative articles and videos, I read that these men not only raid villages and break families apart but they also force young male children to join there army and do these horrific acts of violence against their will. They are ordered to rape women, otherwise they will be one’s to die. As most of us have stated that no matter what environment you group up in, there comes a point in your life were you know and understand right from wrong, and yet these young boys that are forcefully taken from their families and forced to do these the same acts of violence they saw being done to their own families. When some soldiers were questioned what would they do if their sister or mother or wife was being raped most of these soldiers have a double stranded. Some state that if they walked into one of their sisters, wives or mothers being rape that they would kill the soldiers on the spot and some even say they wouldn’t do anything if they new it was going to help those soldiers win against the enemies. The soldiers explanation for these acts is that they are in a “… combat zone where most of the fighters relied on magic power. That magic potion works in such a way that you’ve got to rape women in order to overcome the enemies who’ve invaded our country. This is why all those things happened.” These soldiers believe that by having these sexual relations with these innocent women, help them be successful in battle. Sadly this has been an on going war for some time now and doesn’t seem that it will end anytime soon. Thankfully however there is an organization (Women for Women-International) that are helping these women and their families, helping them overcome all the abuse that have seen and been through and help them move forward with their lives in a positive direction.
Diego Delgado: its incredible that this things happens in the 21 century.when i watched those videos, and saw all those women expression, i was shock.I think its disgusting that the police is rapping woman in front of their husbands, what is happening in the world? how will those kids look to their mothers when those moments come to their mind? maybe, they are going to do the same thing. In my opinion, the government have to do something about this, eventhough it is not happening in America because we can go to Irak looking for what? nuclear bombs? oil? for fun? we may work together for one world.
Women Rape in Congo: It is sad that innocent women and children are victims of these horrific crimes. I cannot think of a worse thing for women to go through, especially the women in Congo. The things they go through and experience are unlike anything we hear of in the United States. The trauma not only affects the women, but the whole family as well. Husbands and Children do not look at their wife/mother the same way. This may create some kind of resentment or hatred inside the boy, and when he grows up he may take it out on innocent women just like the way he had seen it done to his mother. When a young boy sees women being treated with no respect over and over again he will learn this and think it is acceptable. What’s happening in Congo is genocide on these poor women. Its shocking that this has been allowed to continue for a decade and nothing has been done. I don't think the primary concern is war anymore, but more about the power these people have obtained by instilling fear throughout the whole country. Everyone is so afraid of them that no one will stand up to them, and that is why this is a continuous cycle. The Women for Women charity is a great organization to help them recover, but I think that Congo's government needs to devise a plan to stop the raping before it happens.
The Civil War that has been ongoing in Congo for the last ten year has made it impossible for legal authorities to serve as a protective agent for the citizens of this country.
With that said, the power is witheld by those who control the arms and the militia movement. Citizens remain submissive to the perpetrators as they have no way or power to protest or defend themselves from their transgressions. This is, to my understanding, why the other members of the community(particularly the husbands of the rape victims who are unable to face THEIR own shame of being demasculated by allowing such crimes on their family members) stay inactive in response to such atrocities and turn away from the victims. This in itself tears up the community and puts the perpetrators in a "victorious" position. This is not about sexual pleasure. This is about the belittlement, humiliation and destruction of the community from the inside.
The Congo citizens are defeated already by not being able to nurture the victims of their "own kind" back into the society, but rather further allienating them, putting them through further challenges, after being abused physically and emotionally by these gangs. Many times mutilated, infected with diseases in the better cases, the rape victims of Congo have to deal with the attached stigma of unworthiness inflicted by their own community as a further display of defeat.
Abandoned by their husbands, vulnerable in every sense, and with the responsibility to become providers on their own.This apalling violence is certainly not just about the perversion of these men, but as a means of war strategy and demostration of power.
48 comments:
In regards to Women Rape in Congo:
It would seem strange if rape and murder didn’t happen in Africa. This was happening in the time of slavery when slave women were raped by their masters; white men with some level of education and relative moral values. What’s there to expect from African men who grow up watching their mothers and sisters being raped and their fathers being killed in front of them. For them, that is the routine of their lives; that is their standard. Children who are not thought morals and values cannot differentiate between good and evil, they only see that the powerful men are the rebels and the weak are them. When they grow they choose to be the powerful, just like an American child wants to be Spiderman when they grow. Even though African children suffer and see their family suffer when they’re abused, they still have no one else to look up to than the powerful rebel men. Therefore, these men become their heroes. When these children grow, they are recruited by the rebels, they are drugged, brain watched, thought that to be a real man they should be brave enough to rape and kill, so this is what they become. They have never been shown love and kindness. They do not know what these feelings are and do not understand them. All they know how to give is violence and pain, so they do it and become the rebels of the future. They are not bad people, they are just victims who become victimizers. The only solution is what everyone already knows, education and evolution, this is what has changed every society anyhow. Time.
Susana Soler.
All they know how to give is violence and pain, so they do it and become the rebels of the future. They are not bad people, they are just victims who become victimizers.
Interesting point, Susana.
To comment on Susana post about the women rape in Congo. I believe you said "When they grow they choose to be the powerful, just like an American child wants to be Spider-man when they grow. Even though African children suffer and see their family suffer when they’re abused, they still have no one else to look up to than the powerful rebel men. Therefore, these men become their heroes".I have to disagree with that statement their are a lot of American kids that have role models and that was love throughout there childhood that end up raping women, gang,and murder.That is the choice they make,just like the men in Congo.
Jose, there are always exceptions you are right. But you can't deny that a big percentage of killers and rapers have a history of violence and disorder in their families. For example, parents that were drug addicts or drunks, that spent time in jail for crimes, parents that abuse their children. Psychology studies that these disorders in childhood tend to traumatize children who later in life become the product of what their family were. Remember children learn by example, if the only example a child in Congo has is murder and suffering, that's the only thing they learn. Of course this is not the case of absolutely all of the men in Congo but it is the most obvious reason for the majority to end up the way they do. If you disagree, tell me another reason why you think these crimes are happening in Congo and why these man become such cold blooded killers.
I think is absolutely awfull. The first thing that comes to mind when i read this is comparison against what we go through in our society. Is it any worse or the opposite? we definetely don't have to worry about rebels terrorizing our neighborhoods and gang raping women but, we do worry about a larger variety of issues in the same and higher levels of disturbance. It is difficult to compare these things when the difference in culture and society is such a prominent factor. Due to such differences the outcome of these acts varies on how bad it affects someone. I think the trauma and overall damage is more intense for them because, they are raised believing rape is one of the worse things that could happen to a female and at the same time knowing that chances of it happening are high, therefore growing up terrorized about when is their worse nightmare going to come true. It is so sad. My point is that it is something sad, alarming and wrong in everyway but, these type of situations happen in every country, wether is gang rape or a massacre, etc. People all over the world suffer up to this same level of trauma that women do in the Congo, from different acts of hatred or whatever else it is that motivates a human being to damage another so much. So when I read it my thoughts are: the face of evil... meaning evil at its worse however, there can only be one face to a body which leads me to think that evil its a monster with many many faces all over our world.
According to the article, this situation has been existed for more than a decade.Itis a painfull situation for the women all over the world but more particular for those who are in congo and in Africa. All you see in the women face is sadness and hopelessness. It seems that they are waiting for someone to do something for them but without knowing where this help is coming from.There is always a good explanation for all things. Event does not happen by chance there is something that provokes this situation. Can someone explain to me the origin of this inhuman problem?
It is time to make an end to such an awfull situation. Does anyone have a suggestion?
Loudie
Regarding the problem that is going on in Congo with the women rapped.
I think is the most horrible thing that it could happend to a family that because of war they have to go through all those problems and in most of the cases they get rapped in front of their own family , and that leads to some husbands to leave their wifes and they stay all by themselves with all those bad memories .
I believe that this organization that helps this women to get back to life is incredible because if it wasnt for them im not sure how this women could go through all these issues by themselves.
I hope that the situation gets better because its not fair for them.
In regards of Women Rape in Congo:
In my opinion the situation in kongo and a lot of African countries is really bed. And the worst part about it that nobody knows when the situation will change. Looking at this women makes me said, knowing that besides of being raped, the situation inside of Kongo is so bed, that people are barely getting education, and it is not because they don't want it, it's because they are not getting any opportunity to even have one. On the other hand it is men's fault also, because seeing all the bed things happening to their family while being a child, and then still grow up and become one of them is just not right. And there is always a choice, sometimes it's better to die for something good, than do bed thing throughout your life!
Indeed this is a horrifying case what happens to these women and there should be some way to change this and stop it from repeating itself over and over again. In regards to Susana's comments, Pyschology studies do show that what children see from their elders, is something that is most likely to repeat itself, the so called "statics". But as Jose mentioned, every human being has their own mindset and make their own decisions, regardless of the type of role models they've seen throughout their life. Some people have some of the best role models in their life and turn out to be the complete opposite of what they're expected to be. Susana mentioned that a big percentage of killers and rapers have a history of violence and disorder in their families but what about those who have never had any of that in their families and turned out like that? Some people see the violence in their families and work on being better for themselves. It's a tramatizing situation and some grow up into not wanting to relive that trama. The organization is quite helpful because these women after going through such a tramatizing experience where unwanted pregnanies happen, diseases are caught as well as physical and mental damage is done, they are given another opportunity to move forward and not live in fear but that fear most likely,will always be in the back of their heads. Just like there is an organization to help these women, there should also be something to help the men that do these things because sometimes it can be some type of problem they can have wheather its mentally or anger. It's true that they're actions towards these women are horrible but sometimes a punishment can overdo it or can be just as bad in a different way. We see and hear the pain in the women but do we really deep down know why the men do it? We should all be able to help each other out as equal human beings.
Susana, what I stated to you is a question of choice is because I live through something similar to what is going on in Congo. I remember when I was a young child in Haiti during the coup d’etat in September 30 1991 it was a similar situation, some men broke into people houses, they raped, and murder just to mention a few. They even raped a cousin of mine in front of her family, but yet none of the men in my family became like those men even thought they witnessed such horrific things. I have lots of friends whose from different countries of Africa. They overcame those same obstacles that the citizens in Congo are going through. My personal friends from Africa who went through those obstacles wanted something better for themselves, because they morals and values.
That is an interesting point Jose. But I am still trying to understand and learn from you what your point of view really is. If you don't think that these men become killers because of the violence they have been through and because some of them have seen no moral values or kindness in their lives, then why do you think that a man in Congo can join a gang of rebels and kill entire villages and rape women and girls and even elder women? I know some make a choice and some other get abducted by the rebels and forced to become one of them (watch the movie "Blood Diamond" and see how gangs kidnap children and drug them and train them to become soldiers of the rebels) But those who make the choice if there's any, why do you think they do it? Don't tell me because they are bad man and evil and they just have no heart. Nobody is born evil or saint, everyone's character is shaped and molded according to the environment they grow in (yes i know there might be exeptions but they are the few that's why they are "exceptions"). So there are the reasons why I think (I might be completely wrong because i am not sure) that this situation is going on in Congo. What are your reasons? What do you think the causes are for these men to become so evil?
From a broader social science POV, I drew a couple of conclusions
1)Rape is said to be an act of violence, not sexual conquest.
2)Men who rape are usually acting out feelings of anger and desperation- they torture and brutalize one who is vulnerable, one whom they feel is inferior to them, to gain some control
3)There is so much violence in Congo one would question whether the Republic of Congo is governing itself or is under coup by these rogues
4)The rogues have been so effective with their fear tactics that people will shame their own mother/wife/sister etc for being a victim of senseless horrific crime
This is not just a problem in Africa, it does happen all over the world. Rape victims in America were once generally subjected to public shame and/or secrecy for being victims of this particular horror- I believe the social understanding of things like this have changed with the development of public education, which most tribes in Congo and other countries in Africa lack. But the frequency, “success”, and lack of justice with these crimes is the difference- and that there are so many groups of desperate men roaming the countryside using it as a weapon to instil fear into their fellow citizens. Why, if the Congo was a stable democracy, why would this be happening?
It doesn't appear that Congan citizens have many options within their own boundaries- resulting in a nation of people making the majority of their choices outside of their own will. Possibly they have never even considered what they would do if given free choice. I do not believe this in any way excuses the actions of these men, however, they are not all out of their minds or simply evil. This behavior is learned from somewhere, and it is taught for a purpose. They must believe they can get away with it without consequences, since there is such an extensive amount of evidence. The government has no control over these people. In our own country, people who mature without hope or structure turn to gangs and violence to have a sense of purpose... In reality we cannot really project how these human beings have suffered with violence as such a part of their daily lives. This is why they resort to whatever they think will give them a way out- even if it is committing the same acts that traumatized them. At least they have some control in that situation, rather than being the victim. This is the way life is in most of Africa- do first, before it is done to you.
My thoughts on the rapes in Congo are mutual to most of you guys. It's wrong. There can be many key factors to what manipulates or temps these men to perform these types of actions. Whether it being from problems during their childhood, mental problems, or "monkey see, monkey do." Overall it is incorrect and these rapes should come to a stop. I believe that the government is not taking action in stoping these men from continuing these acts. Like Andrea mentioned if there is a organization to help the women out, why is there not one to help the men.
I think some the the men that are include in the rebel gangs can be the ex-husbands of the wivies that were raped. In the video it mentioned that after the husband see their wife get raped they end leaving the wife because they find them useless to society and their lives. After seeing this they might want to join them. This all depends on the way these so called rebels think. I say so called because these men are not men at all to go around ruining the lives for other.
I see most of you get statistics or look at the psychological studies but the right and only way to get the answers is by actually catching these men and asking them why. Another way, I think this act can be lowered is by the government stepping in and taking action in protecting these villages.
It is a really sad and a horrible thing that is happening to those women over there in Congo. I remember watching a document when those men who commit some of those rape gloating and saying that the more they rape, especially virgin, they would be cure of AIDS. Some may argue that it is obvious that they are not educated and are acting out of ignorance. But, ignorance does not interfere with someone’s heart and what is moral. My general statement; feel free to disagree but society all over the world has pegged women as weaklings and can’t defend themselves but what they fail to see is that us, women, can fight and defend, especially with ourselves with our voices. That’s what the women of Congo are doing. And I love and appreciate that after all their struggles they are not letting it stop them from fighting for justice and prevention.
Daisy Gigantana said...
I'm appalled and disgusted on what was happening to women in Congo. . When Professor discussed what will be the topic on this board, it just happened that I saw an article in CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/08/25/congo.rapes.un/index.html) about the rape to women in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Armed militia men or rebels raided unsuspecting villages. These villages were trapped since they don't have weapon to protect themselves. Unfortunately, women and children tend to be the victim in this situation. What hurts the most for me, when I listened to the interview from one of the victim stating that her husband left her after the rape had happened. If I put myself in this situation, it will destroy my willingness to live. I will ask myself what is my purpose in life when someone took it away from me. I will be in total disarray especially the man I love supposed to protect and honor me instead left me with the kids. Also, these women were physically abused then rape, even mutilated. Perhaps, getting pregnant on unwanted sexual act and without a husband supporting them or a financial resources. These women tend to lived in despair and raising a child in despair. A doom scenario but it is a reality.
Nice exchange. Don't mind me.
Rape and war go hand in hand, almost as if war is a sufficient condition for there to be rape. And seeing as the Congo is in a constant state of war, it comes as no surprise that rape is so common. Rape is a means of control. Men rape women to feel in control. It is a release for them to be able to escape from the idea that they have absolutely no control on anything in there life. There is no economy, stable government, no sense of protection and perhaps they feel that the only way they can be in control is to rape someone as they have seen done by others. So a part of the resolution to the problem lies somewhat in the resolution of the war.
It also has something to to do with how they were raised and their experience as children. If I was a child growing up in the congo and my mother was raped in front of me and I had to decide whether I wanted to be the rapist or the rapee, I think I would choose to be the rapist if those were the only two options I felt were open to me. I think that people would rather be in control and survive rather than righteous and dead. I do think that a better education 20 years ago in the Congo would eradicate many of the problems faced today. Children who cannot read or write and do not know the slightest thing about morality tend to make bad decisions in life which lead to worse decisions and eventualy to a life of degredation. However, I do not sympathize with anyone that would do such things and I do believe personally that no matter what upbringing someone has, they always deep down inside know whether something is right or wrong. The main difference between people and animals is that we are responsible for the decisons we make in life. Our current situation is a direct result of the decisions we have made in the past.
andrew w fifer
The sexual violence in Congo is definitely horrifying. I think the conflict started as a war between men but today it seems that it turned into a war against women, and the weapon being used to destroy them and their community is rape. As a woman I think rape must be one of the most horrifying things that we have to deal with. These women not only have to deal with the physical damage but also with moral damage. Survivors will never be able to have a normal life because their values and self steam are killed and these will affect them for the rest of their lives. It's hard to imagine what these women go through, the pain, the fear and the shame they have to live with. Unfortunately in their society, like in most societies, rape victims are dishonored. I also think lack of culture and education plays a big part in the way these men behave. Most of these people were raised in violence, without education and of course no moral values. Also their culture like many other cultures in the world, are funded by the stereotype that men are superior to woman. Men feel they need to prove they are superior and they tend to do this through violence, rape and torture. Today I think we all should do something to help these hundreds of thousand of women who have been raped in Congo over the years because their government is clearly not doing enough. We also need to stop war, each new war is followed by more violence, rape and torture.
Rape is one of the most disgusting crimes in the world. I wish something more could be done to protect these women. There needs to be a strong forceful government willing to take care of this problem. This shouldnt be happening, these women have already faced enough.This is horrific. These women have no protection and no way out. My heart goes out to them.
It has been Africa's widest war, with half a dozen national armies and several rebel groups fighting over the wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. All of them have been violating the rights and the bodies of women. According to an article that I recently read,In Congo, as in many traditional societies, the stigma of rape, a resulting pregnancy and the poverty of widowhood, can be a crushing burden. Even if peace comes, women will continue to be in peril.In addition,women are abused in jails and dragooned into sexual slavery. When they form self-help groups they are harassed by both government and anti-government authorities. Nuns have been among the victims of intimidation.A U.N. human rights investigation mission will be launched in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Wednesday, U.N. officials announced Tuesday, after gruesome reports surfaced in the media of the systematic gang rape of nearly 200 women in a 21km stretch of 15 villages.
A joint U.N. human rights team verified the perpetrators as Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda and Mai Mai Cheka rebel groups. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s spokesperson Martin Nesirky said in a briefing that the victims of the raid are currently receiving medical and psycho-social care.
This is another example of both the level of sexual violence and the insecurity that continue to plague the DRC.
When ever I hear the word “rape” it brings a saddening feeling to me. This is an action that shows how one has been overpowered for all of the wrong reasons. This is just totally unacceptable to happen in any part of the world at any time. There isn’t a more hurtful crime that can be done to anyone besides murder of course. Unfortunately, in the rape stories learned about today to the women of Congo murder is one of the following steps after rape and not to mention the torture that is brought to the victims in between. What makes it even more saddening is how all of this is done in front of the victim’s family. So, this has not only has affected the victim but it has also affected the son, the daughter, and the husband. Everyone involved walks out a victim one way or another. This is just an inhumane act to do to another individual whether it is a child, teen, or adult woman. The reasons behind it just make it all the more worse. The fact that this is the way that a war is being fought in this part of the world instead of using the more conventional methods such as combat weapons is sickening. I mean don’t get me wrong no war is justified in any way. These cruel acts not only shows a sign of weakness by the rapists but it just go to shows how sick people can be. No mstter where they grew up or what they have seen in their lives their minds are not right.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/congothedemocraticrepublicof/index.html
a link to a recent article regarding the reaction, or lack thereof, by the UN to these reports
below the article there are also links to many archived articles on this topic
I don't think I can or know how to express myself entirely on this subject.
I mean of course, I feel extremely (i’m actually still speechless and i’ve been on
this sentence for about 10 minutes) discouraged and disillusioned about life by
an entirety. I couldn’t ever possibly manage to understand the pain and emotional
suffering these women have been through. And talking about this from my point
of view serves me as an individual and as a person in this world no purpose. What
does talking about the rape exactly do? I understand we might be trying to learn
about what’s going on in the world. But should we not be trying to figure out what
to do instead? Is there anything that we can do? And if there is, what is it exactly?
Pain. Tears. Sweat. Blood. Abuse. Disgusting. Infections. Diseases. Life.
Death. If only there where someone to tell us what to do is what I think. That’s all
I can say, for now. Oh, and one more thing, what is right and what is wrong? And
who is to say what is right and what is wrong?
What I found most disturbing is that the women are seen as the instigators, instead of victims. These women are sexually forced, and dominated by another man, in front of their family. And instead of helping her, they continue her never-ending nightmare by belittling her, and treating her as dirt. What is even more traumatic is that these women are not just being raped by rebels, but by soldiers serving in the national armies. It is becoming harder for them to trust any one of any side. Living in a country called the rape capital of the world, will only cause them to be in constant fear, or become complete numb to everything, until the point they no longer function. Suicide, and death will seem like the only option to this women, if they are not giving a helping hand.
Violence is a permanent state on Africa's countries. Since the european empires began trafficking slaves from Western Africa they promote its population kidnapping victims,mainly women and young people treating them cruelty. Today, after several civil wars the "rebels" still hurting indefense population looting their bodies instead material treasures. Rape is the big atrocity commited against women.We have to encourage and support international agencies like UN in order to help victims, but the main point is prosecute the rapist in the same way that human rights violators are. Since 2009 the number of women sexually attacked have increased. For instance, the punitive actions against the offenders has to be done inmediately.
In Regards to Women Rape in Congo:
It's sad and horrible to know that these type of war(man dominating woman) exist in Africa. It seems to be that some remote areas in Africa are still not developing properly, and thus the people's view in how a rape victim should be treated is far from correct(in my standards at least). Women are seen as the one who provoked instead of just being a victim, and that in turn makes them keep quiet, thus harboring the rapist and basically "allowing" it to continue, because of the silence, it's like a continuous cycle. My Aunt Recently went to Africa to a very small country called "Burundi". While there the people in Africa apparently have NEVER seen a "white" person, they didn't think it was possible, they were astonished. That led me to think, maybe Some parts of Africa are omitted from information from outside sources, whereby the people could learn to start developing properly as they get new ideas. It's just as someone once said "knowledge is power", during a war which i can't remember the name right now, all the books were ordered to be burned, why? because if you can't read than you can't learn and the one in power can stay in power. Maybe that is what is happening in some remote locations in Africa, maybe that's why so much violence is going on and the women feel so helpless, they are used to being treated like that for so many generations that it became a norm. what help will come to them they may ask? So they in turn keep quiet. Since in their heads, they lost all their dignity already.
In reagards to the situation of Women in Congo:
After reading through the blog and the post of my fellow classmates, I will have to approach the subject from a different point of view.
In the website, the post states that the rape is used against women as tool of fear: "man-against-woman brutality, a new weapon of fear."
Well, I do believe that every action is in itself the reaction to a situation in the past that would have been imprinted in one's conscience. Then, the individual would subconsciously suppresses this trauma; however, the imprint in one's soul will make one act in a future situation in accordance to this past trauma or event.
As Susana stated in her post, the History of slavery and the "Rape" of the African population (one should acknowledge that Africa is known for its Oil, minerals, gold, diamonds... and yet, all this wealth has been taken away from the African to the benefit of the Westerners.)
The issue that should be raised is not why are men rapping women in Africa, but, in my humble opinion, how can an end be put to all this; what is it that humanity, which is responsible for all of this, should do to correct the mistakes made in the past, and redeem itself.
I sure do believe that this Rape crisis in Africa is a call, a cry for help as the population, male and female, has been suffering, is suffering, and will suffer until justice is done.
I sure do believe that this Rape crisis in Africa is a call, a cry for help as the population, male and female, has been suffering, is suffering, and will suffer until justice is done.
As a more general point, yes, this is problem to be solved. But how?
Likewise to what everyone else has stated rape in general is sad. But to gather as a group and cause havoc on the innocent is weakness is my eyes. And the manner they choose to do it in it’s like it has become a tradition to their culture, or it’s the way of life. What they are doing is degrading to their women. To torture the woman after violating her is adding insult to injury, along with doing it in front of the woman’s family. You’ve done enough by raping her, and then you have the audacity to shoot her. I think the “Women for Women” is a good organization for the victims. It gives women a chance to seek refugee from the pain they’ve been through.
It sadness me to see the kind of ignorance that destroys communities like the one Congo this could all be stopped by the way it was started just ignorance one person influencing other. Isn’t that how everything starts with the idea? Revolutions need to take place for change. These women need to make a movement. If they don’t change neither will the outcome.
First of all, let me start off by saying this is horrible.
This is horrible because no woman should ever have to feel the pain these women are feeling. And no man who commits these actions should be called a man.
In another perspective, this is horrible because it shows the lack of evolution. This is not the first time a violent gang-rape has occurred. There are rapes everywhere, including our country. “Reports show that 1 in 6 women in the U.S. will be victims of a sexual assault” wikipedia. But even more frustrating than that is the fact that most of these women don’t speak up. Not only in Congo, but everywhere women are scared to speak up. Why do we live in a society where women are scared to stand up and say they were raped and fight for justice?
To prevent rape is hard, but the only way is to put those who rape away. There will always be rapists, or “victims who become victimizers” Susana, but if we don’t come together as a society and speak up, then we become the victimizers, but we victimize ourselves as civilization and we slow down evolution.
-Guigo Simoes
Congo remains one of the most unstable areas in Africa. There is an ongoing military offense against rebel groups that has forced thousands of people to loose and flee their own homes. During this tragic chaos, rape has turned into a common part of terrorizing families and towns. Rape has become part of the war tactic or weapon to take over a community or town. A sad reality is that many of the women who are raped are also teenage girls. This is a disgraceful and un-human form of intimidation, humiliation, control and show of force. These women are raped in front of their husbands and family. Then some are tortured or killed and at times the rebels even keep them as servants. These horrible and traumatic occurrences have a long term affect on these woman and their families. They are looked down on by the community, their husbands don’t want them, they live in depression, have low self-esteem, they fear to speak out because they don’t know what else the rebels might do to them. Typically there is no system of support and if any of these women come forward to speak to authorities they will not receive any form of justice because of public embarrassment or fear of retaliation. The lack of knowledge and education also plays a major role in Congo. Both men and women are uninformed, misguided and have no true understanding of human rights and the rights of women. I think that education for the younger and older generations will have a big impact on the future of Congo. Therefore, I applaud Women for Women International for creating this amazing organization and helping these women to re-establish their lives and teach them how to speak out. I think that if more women speak out and seek help, the more other women will come forward and changes will begin to happen.
Rebeca Furniss
The conflict in Congo is an unjustified genocide. The rebels in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are violating the human rights. The act of raping, killing and torturing is definitively and evil act. One of the reasons this is happening is because the trade of gold and the conflict minerals originated from Congo such as tin, tantalum and tungsten are funding the armed militants. Regulating the use of these products that contain those minerals such as mobile phones to jewelry can be a positive impact that will reduce the conflict in Congo. The rebels without money will not be able to afford the weapons. If the rebels are disarmed they will not act as “manliness” and would be easy to punish them. On the other hand as students we can raise awareness and vote for new legislations that will approve these new implementations, Of course we are not addressing this topic directly but we will lessen it.
This conflict in Congo is happening for almost 10 years now. It seems that nobody is doing anything to stop the raping and other atrocities. More than four thousand people died in Congo civil war and thousands of innocent women each year are being rape. The program “Women for Women” is not enough. Congo needs help immediately with organizations that are willing to save the women. I understand that it is difficult to provide help to Congo especially with the armed rebels that are gaining more and more power and until they are not disarmed the atrocities will continue.
It’s sickening and extremely sad to read about these violent events happening in Africa. It’s horrible how often it is happening and how violent these rapings can get. It’s absolutely inhumane and is sickening to hear about some of the stories. It is also extremely surprising to me to hear that there’s only one gynecologist/surgeon in the ONE hospital of the town of Bukavu. More help needs to be sent out. These women are in desperate need of physical and mental health. It’s a shame that more people haven’t gotten together to do anything about this problem. It not only affects the woman, but the family as well. It tears them apart and causes them to live in fear.
I don’t believe that this violence is just about war. It’s about these people claiming power over women and their families. It’s their way of getting a community to live in fear over them. They are people with no souls and are true monsters in this world. No reason can be given for these actions. Something needs to be done about this. “Women for Women” is a great organization but more help needs to be sent over to Africa to put a stop to this. This post has encouraged me to sign up for “women for women” to try to help, and I hope that it will encourage others to do the same.
DAIANE ALFARO says:
I honestly and truly cant believe this occurred. How can men be so uncaring and unkind to just rape a women in front of their husband and children. Not only that but after they have satisfied them selves how could they be able to just shoot a women without thinking twice. WHAT ARE THEY MADE OUT OF.. STEAL? and the most horrifying part is the fact that the husband cant really much, someone that should be so powerful in the house hold, so strong, and protective, he need to close his eyes sit back and listen or watch and suffer to what ever is going on.and not only that, but they pass infections, its like you could at least protect yourself and others from that. i feel so bad for those women, suffering from depression and sleep lost and disease, i mean once your raped your never once the same person you where before. im so glad women for women had the heart to step in and help the women in need, and make them strong, and feel better for themselves. It feels good we have people doing that kind of good in the united states.
DAIANE ALFARO says:
I honestly and truly cant believe this occurred. How can men be so uncaring and unkind to just rape a women in front of their husband and children. Not only that but after they have satisfied them selves how could they be able to just shoot a women without thinking twice. WHAT ARE THEY MADE OUT OF.. STEAL? and the most horrifying part is the fact that the husband cant really much, someone that should be so powerful in the house hold, so strong, and protective, he need to close his eyes sit back and listen or watch and suffer to what ever is going on.and not only that, but they pass infections, its like you could at least protect yourself and others from that. i feel so bad for those women, suffering from depression and sleep lost and disease, i mean once your raped your never once the same person you where before. im so glad women for women had the heart to step in and help the women in need, and make them strong, and feel better for themselves. It feels good we have people doing that kind of good in the united states.
This is an epic tragedy and you wonder if the cycle can be stopped. This type of violence will last through generations of women and children who are shunned and excommunicated for atrocities that have been committed against them. There is a substantial amount of research that relates those who are victimized as a child often become predators as adults. In a war-torn community where rape has become the normal rituals of passing militias, you have to question if this is the cultivation of multi-generational violence, or if this is just the beginning of what is to become a grave cross-continental horror. I found an interesting clip on why they rape these women. It’s awful that they believe that rape activates their "magic potion" that will help them be victorious in battle. This superstition seems to be embedded in them, which may have been passed down generationally to support the violence against women. In a sense, it reasons or justifies their actions and their guilt or hesitation vanishes. In one moment in the video clip, a soldier explains that women should give themselves and be "patriotic". It is horrific. Some rape out of retaliation, but others seem to believe that if their mother or sister were being raped, it would be tolerable if it were for a good or just cause. To change ones beliefs is quite difficult, so I cannot imagine there is an easy solution to this issue.
Allison Mendoza
Here is the link to why the soldiers rape: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbZIK9Ce0yM
Allison Mendoza
It is truly unfortunate that during war women are being raped. Many of these women lose their value not only as women but as a person as well. They are raped in front of their husbands, children, relatives, as well as in in front of other villagers in their village. Education needs to be a priority on how these women are the victims and not the provokers. That stereotype hinders not only the recuperation process but as well as the healing. Government needs to be able to provide better facilities for these women that are often left for dead in the Congo.
Carlos Lacayo
While watching the video, I had to pause for a moment to really grasp the insanity that goes on in the Congo. The Congo and its civil war can really bring tears to your eyes, especially if one doesn't often put themselves in a position to watch such atrocities.
I think the victims in the Congo have very little choice about how they live. When they are children, they are under complete guard and hiding from these Militia members. As they become adults, their children are protected and keeping on high alert from rapists and assassins. Life can be very saddening and traumatic if you're constantly witnessing murders, rapes, and violence. Unfortunately though, seeing that's the normal behavior it actually creates a pattern in the brain within them, making it appear like the normal. The fact that a community of woman is constantly getting raped, it makes you lose faith in that it may never go away.
These militia members are ruled through greed, anger, demonic behaviors and bribery. Of course, I’d assume these members were victims themselves growing up. Once the men reach their teenage years, they begin having some type of acknowledgement to these militia members. The members recruit them, give them money, show them what it's like to shoot a gun, and they join the team and begin causing hatred to the women. Obviously they don't know any better, cause it's what they are used to.
It's a very unfortunate situation these women and communities are going through, but it does alleviate on a minor scale that they are being heard and people are actually doing something about it. I feel the woman's foundation on teaching literature to the woman, creates opportunity and advancement.
Leandro Toledo
It is truly horrifying what these women are going through, but the problem isn't going to get any better. These people who are abusing these women are acting within societal norms for Congo, so in a way they are allowing for it to continue. People in the 70's were using drugs because it was a normal thing to do, until enough people came forth with the idea that it should be illegal, and then it was. I also do understand that these women don't deserve any of what they've experienced, as no woman does. Just as these people started off doing this little by little until it became widespread, the victims and families have to do the same. It may be hard to face their fear of these monsters, but if nothing changes then nothing will change for the future victims and their families. This cycle will continue and continue on because all that society knows is pain and abuse.
Ashley Mueller-Gomez
While skimming through the comments I noticed somewhat of a pattern in the grammatical reactions of others. A majority of my classmates, or at least the comments I chose to read at random, justify these acts as nature vs. nurture in a summation of words but I see this as only a mere fraction of the reasoning for such atrocious acts towards an individual of the very gender that withstood the pain to conceive these monsters. I believe it is a conglomeration of mental and physical deprivation or excess of at any age and for any period of time that would be substantial for corruption. Groups of people ,such as the “Rwandan rebels”, that commit these acts of violence do so to induce the greatest amount of mental pain upon a society by means of expressing a ladder of mental and physical deprivations which has also brought them together by some form of common grounds. These are people who have slipped thought the cracks of society.
After reading the article and seeing the videos, I was at a loss for words. Aside from being hurt and saddened by what's happening, I could not imagine how this could be really going on somewhere. To me, this is just evil. In reagards to what Susana said, I understand that the rapists were victimized, but that does not give them an excuse to act like this. There has to be something in them that says, "Hey! This is wrong!" That just comes with being human. And I can't believe that in that society they would protect the rapist and blame the victim. And I don't care what the war is about. What makes you feel like you should rape a woman and then proceed to shoot her in the vagina? It makes no sense.
It is sad to know that things like this are still happening in lifetime. While my feelings are similar to most of you, the fact that this is horrible, morally wrong, due to lack of education, lack of respect for one another, there is more to this than we think. Upon researching other informative articles and videos, I read that these men not only raid villages and break families apart but they also force young male children to join there army and do these horrific acts of violence against their will. They are ordered to rape women, otherwise they will be one’s to die. As most of us have stated that no matter what environment you group up in, there comes a point in your life were you know and understand right from wrong, and yet these young boys that are forcefully taken from their families and forced to do these the same acts of violence they saw being done to their own families. When some soldiers were questioned what would they do if their sister or mother or wife was being raped most of these soldiers have a double stranded. Some state that if they walked into one of their sisters, wives or mothers being rape that they would kill the soldiers on the spot and some even say they wouldn’t do anything if they new it was going to help those soldiers win against the enemies. The soldiers explanation for these acts is that they are in a “… combat zone where most of the fighters relied on magic power. That magic potion works in such a way that you’ve got to rape women in order to overcome the enemies who’ve invaded our country. This is why all those things happened.”
These soldiers believe that by having these sexual relations with these innocent women, help them be successful in battle. Sadly this has been an on going war for some time now and doesn’t seem that it will end anytime soon. Thankfully however there is an organization (Women for Women-International) that are helping these women and their families, helping them overcome all the abuse that have seen and been through and help them move forward with their lives in a positive direction.
Diego Delgado: its incredible that this things happens in the 21 century.when i watched those videos, and saw all those women expression, i was shock.I think its disgusting that the police is rapping woman in front of their husbands, what is happening in the world? how will those kids look to their mothers when those moments come to their mind? maybe, they are going to do the same thing. In my opinion, the government have to do something about this, eventhough it is not happening in America because we can go to Irak looking for what? nuclear bombs? oil? for fun? we may work together for one world.
Women Rape in Congo:
It is sad that innocent women and children are victims of these horrific crimes. I cannot think of a worse thing for women to go through, especially the women in Congo. The things they go through and experience are unlike anything we hear of in the United States. The trauma not only affects the women, but the whole family as well. Husbands and Children do not look at their wife/mother the same way. This may create some kind of resentment or hatred inside the boy, and when he grows up he may take it out on innocent women just like the way he had seen it done to his mother. When a young boy sees women being treated with no respect over and over again he will learn this and think it is acceptable. What’s happening in Congo is genocide on these poor women. Its shocking that this has been allowed to continue for a decade and nothing has been done. I don't think the primary concern is war anymore, but more about the power these people have obtained by instilling fear throughout the whole country. Everyone is so afraid of them that no one will stand up to them, and that is why this is a continuous cycle. The Women for Women charity is a great organization to help them recover, but I think that Congo's government needs to devise a plan to stop the raping before it happens.
The Civil War that has been ongoing in Congo for the last ten year has made it impossible for legal authorities to serve as a protective agent for the citizens of this country.
With that said, the power is witheld by those who control the arms and the militia movement. Citizens remain submissive to the perpetrators as they have no way or power to protest or defend themselves from their transgressions. This is, to my understanding, why the other members of the community(particularly the husbands of the rape victims who are unable to face THEIR own shame of being demasculated by allowing
such crimes on their family members) stay inactive in response to such atrocities and turn away from the victims. This in itself tears up the community and puts the perpetrators in a "victorious" position.
This is not about sexual pleasure. This is about the belittlement, humiliation and destruction of the community from the inside.
The Congo citizens are defeated already by not being able to nurture the victims of their "own kind" back into the society, but rather further allienating them,
putting them through further challenges, after being abused physically and emotionally by these gangs. Many times mutilated, infected with diseases
in the better cases, the rape victims of Congo have to deal with the attached stigma of unworthiness inflicted by their own community as a further display of defeat.
Abandoned by their husbands, vulnerable in every sense, and with the responsibility to become providers on their own.This apalling violence is certainly
not just about the perversion of these men, but as a means of war strategy and demostration of power.
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