Abstract

Bartels, Susan A*, Scott, Jennifer A, Leaning Jennifer, Kelly, Jocelyn T, Joyce, Nina R, Mukwege, Denis, VanRooyen, Michael J

Democratic Republic of Congo has been the site of an ongoing conflict for over a decade. Within this conflict, systematic sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war. This retrospective study of sexual violence survivors presenting to Panzi Hospital in 2004-2008 describes the psychosocial consequences of sexual violence within this context. 4,311 records were reviewed. Many sexual violence survivors report loss of the families’ valuables because these items were pillaged in the attack. To compound these losses, some women were unable to return to work because of injuries sustained during the assault. Not infrequently, survivors were left to grieve the deaths of close family members because these individuals were killed in the attack. Although spousal abandonment and pregnancy resulting from sexual assault were not as frequently reported, both these sequelae were particularly distressing to survivors. To confound the physical and psychological trauma experienced as a direct result of sexual violence, survivors faced multiple psychosocial stressors as a result of the attacks. It is critical that aid programs address the psychosocial needs of sexual assault survivors. The approach to survivor care must also involve men at all stages, allowing families and communities to recover together.