Congo women

[SassySpy]

I just watched the '60 minutes' episode about the raping of the women in Congo. I was so disturbed by the stories and video, I had to leave the room to gather control of my emotions.
90% of the women have been raped? Some as young as 3?!!! And some are left so horribly mutilated they have no control over bodily functions- and need colostomy bags and numerous surgeries.
Raped by soldiers, who use the rape as a means to show their complete power and domination over the area and its inhabitants. There are apparently no repercussions to the violators, and it happens every day, many times, to many women.
I guess I knew there are things that happen in other countries that I'd rather not think about... mostly cos my first instinct is to hop a plane and go kick some ass! Which logically I know would be suicide, but I hate to feel so helpless, to help them.
So what astonished me in a gratifying way at the end of the program, was the focus on the incredible inner strength of these women. Their faith is strong, their belief in God and the heaven that awaits them, regardless of the hell here on earth they have suffered.

I don't really have a question to pose to you, but encourage your thoughts about the issue. I just needed to vent, get it out in text, part of understanding it, I guess.

I did wonder at one point, since it wasn't mentioned- if men are also raped there? They did say the village men are unarmed and can do nothing to help, and many abandon their wives after the rape has occurred. But I'm thinking, if its about power and domination, surely the soldiers would humiliate the men in some way as well?

Its just so enraging that it occurs.

 

[morsecode]

I did wonder at one point, since it wasn't mentioned- if men are also raped there? They did say the village men are unarmed and can do nothing to help, and many abandon their wives after the rape has occurred. But I'm thinking, if its about power and domination, surely the soldiers would humiliate the men in some way as well?

Its just so enraging that it occurs.

The soldiers humiliate the men by raping "their" women

 

[B_Think_Kink]

Rape is such a powerful thing, I feel for these women who have had their being violated. May they go on in faith that they will be in a better place some day.

 

[Not_Punny]

Gimme an uzi.

Sigh. No such luck. When I read stuff like this, I only remain "sane" by renewing my faith in what I am personally doing to change a small part of the world.

 

[D_Kay_Sarah_Sarah]

Its a disgrace to the governemts and the powers that have the ability to do something about it that people rights are so freely violated without any repocussions.

 

[whatireallywant]

Gimme an uzi.

Sigh. No such luck. When I read stuff like this, I only remain "sane" by renewing my faith in what I am personally doing to change a small part of the world.

I have a similar reaction. Stuff like that makes me very, very glad that I live where I do - but it makes me wish I could do more to stop things like this from happening anywhere.

Its a disgrace to the governemts and the powers that have the ability to do something about it that people rights are so freely violated without any repocussions.

Unfortunately, in some of these places the government is run by thugs and they are in on it. I don't know much about Congo and what kind of government they have right now though.

 

[Runco]

The rapes are about power (particularly the rape of wives and adult women) but increasingly, I am hearing stories about these sorts of things happening because the perpetrators are infected with a STD (usually HIV or AIDS) and many of them believe that if they have sex with a virgin they will be cured. This is why they are raping babies and children as well. I am not justifying it btw. It is sickening and I don't know what I would do if I were an aid worker in this region. Dealing with those babies and children (and women) with internal damage must be the stuff of nightmares. I would not be able to deal with it myself.

 

[B_johnschlong]

Let's be honest: nobody gives a crap about Congo.

I'm Belgian, so I know the situation a bit.

An estimated 5 million people died in the Congo Wars - the most lethal conflict since the Second World War. But you hear nothing about this in the news. Zilch.

You hear about Darfur, about islamic fundamentalists, about Iraq, etc... But you never hear about the most appalling crisis on the planet.

This is so because Congo is seen as a country in the Francophone sphere of influence. And global media just happen to focus on Anglosaxon countries and crises only. The UN too doesn't care, because the UN is owned by the United States.


In any case, the Congo crisis has made me lose any trust in the international media and institutions.

Nobody cares about these people.