The Impact of Sexual Violence in the Congo

Physical Impact

Women are not only violated by multiple men. Foreign objects, such as sticks, broom handles and bayonet knives, are often introduced to the woman's body. This sustained violence causes a fistula, or tear in the vaginal or rectal wall, which leaves a woman incontinent (unable to control bladder and bowels) and subject to infection.

Surgery is the only way to repair a fistula. The recovery process is lengthy and excruciating for the women, many of whom have suffered such damaging physical violence that more than one surgery is required to repair the body tissue. Since women need a three-month recovery period between each surgery it is not uncommon for women's treatment to take anywhere from three to eighteen months. Most of the women undergoing this treatment at Panzi Hospital (link to meet the partners-panzi hospital) required three surgeries, roughly nine months in treatment.

Through the support of international donors, primarily the Swedish Pentecostal Mission PMU Interlife and ECHO, women are able to receive the reconstructive surgery and accommodation at the hospital at no cost.