Full report - International Alert

5• Women’s Bodies as a Battleground: Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls During the War in the Democratic Republic of CongoCHAPTER 4: Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Interviewees 294.1 Age 294.2 Marital status 304.3 Level of education 304.4 Occupation 314.5 Religious affiliation 324.6 Ethnic origin 32CHAPTER 5: Types of Rape and Sexual Violence 335.1 Types of rape 335.1.1 Individual rape 335.1.2 Gang rape 335.1.3 Forced rape between victims 345.1.4 Rape involving the insertion of objects into the victim’s genitals 345.2 Planned rape 355.3 Identity of the attackers 36CHAPTER 6: The Consequences of Sexual Violence for Womenand their Communities in South Kivu 396.1 The consequences of sexual violence for the health of women in South Kivu 396.1.1 Physical and reproductive health 396.1.2 Psycho-social consequences of the rapes 426.1.3 Socio-economic consequences of the rapes 44CHAPTER 7: The Motives of Soldiers and MilitiamenInvolved in Rape and Sexual Violence 457.1 The views and perceptions of the victims and of those membersof armed groups who were interviewed 457.1.1 The lack of organisational structure, training and discipline amongst the fighting forces 457.1.2 Rape as a means of survival for armed forces 467.1.3 Legitimising rape – a ‘prize’ for bravery and the ideal ‘drug’ to boostthe troops’ morale 477.1.4 Using women’s bodies to humiliate the enemy 487.1.5 Rape as a deliberate method of exterminating the Congolese people 487.1.6 Ritualising rape in order to either gain or neutralise magical powers 497.1.7 Rape as a tool for political repression against human rights campaigners 507.1.8 Score-settling between individuals or between communities 507.1.9 Widespread banditry in the region – a fertile ground for rape and sexual violence 50Conclusion 51CHAPTER 8: Institutional Responses to Sexual Violence Against Women 528.1 The powerlessness of local customary and administrative authorities 528.2 Congolese law and the act of rape: the lack of a gender perspective 528.3 International legal instruments ratified by the DRC 54CHAPTER 9: Civil Society and Support for the Victims of Rape and Sexual Violence 569.1 Organisations working to care for victims: “Unity is strength” 569.2 Difficulties encountered by civil society 59CONCLUSION 60RECOMMENDATIONS 63BIBLIOGRAPHY 65APPENDIXES 68