Congo: Men told not to shun raped women

Aisha Crawford
4:45
9/11

The Domican Republic of The Congo has experienced an epidemic number of rapes in the past decade. It has estimated that there have been 200,000 women raped in this time period with 40 women being raped every day. The women of the Congo are considered the background of the community. They tend the fields, cook , clean, gather firewood, shop for needed provisions all while taking care of their children and husbands. Where as the men dominate the professional fields and the government and military. At home the men are known for not doing anything. While the women have all of these expectations placed on them they get little or no respect from it.

In the Congo if a woman is raped, instead of the men showing sympathy and supporting her they shun her. She is kicked out of her home and shunned from the family. A raped woman is said to be unfaithful and is accused of bringing HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases back to her husband [purposly]. So if a woman is raped here it is her own fault and she is to deal with it alone. Researchers have found that men act in this manner because thery are humiliated because they could not protect there family. The premier gynecologist in this region says that he has to practically beg and persuade the men to not abandon their wives and daughters after they are raped; with no luck.

The only support that these women have is the support of few humanitarian organizations dedicated to this cause. The United Nations is trying to step in and help but they have been tainted by accusations of sexual exploitation and abuse, making it harder for them to hold itself above rebuke. The Congolese army is said to be the biggest offenders of rape in this region. They are said to have commited as many as 20% of the rapes, which is a dramatic number.

For that very reason the government has stepped in. The have order that the soldiers participate in anti-rape "sensitization" training; with very little success. Until the men of the Democratic Republic of the Congo begin to treat sensitivity courses as more than a joke or a tiresome obligation, it is doubtful that this nation will see a serious reduction in sexual crimes against women.

I was really shocked reading this article. It is surprising that anyone would shun a women for being raped, when it was not her fault. With all that these women do in this culture it is said this is how they get treated in return. I feel so lucky and appreciative that the women in the United States do not have to go through things like this. I am extremly disgusted that the men that are supposed to be protecting all of the people in the country, including the women are the main ones that are participating in these horrible crimes. It was also shocking that the United Nations soldiers have been accused of massive rapes as well. You would think that the UN would be the very last ones to expect this from because they are supposed to keep peace EVERYWHERE. Hopefully one day these women will be given the respect that they deserve. But sadly until these men change their mindset nothing will change, and this cycle will repeat. Just be thankful that we do not have to deal with things like this.

There is a really cool video about this at this link >http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/sep/09/congo-men-told-not-to-shun-raped-women/