DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. Ituri province. Drodro. 2021. 

 Dhesi, 28: 

"I have four children. I'm divorced. Now I live in the camp. Two years ago our village was attacked by the rebels and was burned. We were so scared, it was very frightening. We ran away and came to the camp. We left everything behind. My husband's behavior has changed here. He became alcoholic and started beating me and the kids. He was all the time drunk, trying to forget things. He left us.

"During a funeral, a man approached me, asking me to come with him. I said no. Afterwards he drove past me with his motorbike and raped me. He said 'when I asked you to come you should've come. And he also said 'if I want you, I get you.' He put his zip up and left.

"Since two months I'm not getting my period."

Dr. Serge, a trauma specialist at the Drodro hospital, working for MSF:

"There are two types of behavior after rape: the first one is that the victim becomes numb and tries to ignore what has happened; second, the victim goes crazy. Those who are numb relive the trauma at least once a day. Some of the victims get good support from their families, they get better soon, but unfortunately most of the women are rejected and thrown out of the house. These are the ones who go crazy. Everyone here uses rape, ultimately they are trying to have revenge of life.

"Many women feel guilty after being raped. The suicidal thoughts come. They ask themselves, 'why did I go to fetch water alone?'

"Fear stopped everyone from seeking change: fear for the soldiers, but also fear of judgement and being excluded from the community."