Escalation of sexual violence raises alarm in the Democratic Republic of the Congo · Global Voices

Icicongo originally published this article by Cédrick Tambwe Bendera on July 28, 2026. Global Voices republished the article as part of a content partnership agreement. 

In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), violence against women has become increasingly alarming. Statistics from the first quarter of 2026 expose a major gender-based violence (GBV) crisis. Although the fight is mounting amid security vulnerabilities, social taboos, and citizen mobilizations, victims still suffer the consequences while the problem persists.

In just three months, healthcare professionals recorded more than 1,100 rape cases in the Uvira health zone, an administrative and operational health district located in South Kivu, eastern DRC. Behind this chilling statistic lies an all-too-familiar reality. Violence has become an everyday occurrence, severely impacting women and girls. Chronic insecurity, mass population displacement, and persistent discriminatory norms fuel this physical, psychological, sexual, and economic violence.

Despite several years of awareness-raising campaigns, victims seldom report such incidents. A fear of reprisal, stigmatization, and family rejection forces many into silence, hampering prevention and care efforts.

A statistic urging authorities to act

For civil society actors, these statistics are alarming. Mapenzi Manyebwa, a coordinator for the Uvira Civil Society for Sustainable Development (Dynamique de la Société Civile pour le Développement Durable, DSCDD), warns:

Cette statistique est un cri d’alerte. Les agresseurs frappent de jour comme de nuit. Face à la multiplicité des facteurs favorisants, nous demandons aux autorités d’accélérer la mise en place de stratégies efficaces pour enrayer ce taux qui augmente chaque semaine.

This statistic is a stark warning. Abusers strike both day and night. Given the multitude of contributing factors, we urge the authorities to expedite effective strategies to curb this rate, which rises week to week.

Read more: Eastern DRC: Conflict-displaced persons fall victim to sexual violence

Faced with an institutional response he considers insufficient, his organization deploys community-based prevention mechanisms. Alert networks, community liaisons, and civil protection groups now operate in the heart of the community, encouraging women to promptly report all acts of violence and harness the available means of redress. He stated:

Nous poursuivons la sensibilisation sur le terrain et collaborons avec certains services de l’État afin que la population sache anticiper et lutter contre toutes les formes de violences.

We raise community-level awareness and collaborate with government services, helping people anticipate and combat all types of violence.

Effective legislation remains largely inaccessible

Beyond citizen mobilization, the fight is now moving into the legal arena. According to Attorney François Igilima, the DR Congolese legal framework now offers victims greater safeguards. He noted:

Depuis 2023, la RDC applique un Plan national de lutte contre les VBG, articulé autour de la prévention, de l’assistance holistique et de l’accompagnement psychologique.

Since 2023, the DRC has implemented a national GBV action plan, centered on prevention, holistic care, and psychological support.

The country also has Law No. 22/065 of December 26, 2022, which sets out the fundamental principles for combating gender-based violence. The attorney emphasized:

Désormais, une victime n’a plus besoin de l’autorisation de son conjoint pour saisir la justice. Elle peut engager elle-même une procédure, se constituer partie civile et réclamer réparation du préjudice subi, sans payer de caution.

Today, a victim no longer requires her spouse’s permission to take legal action. She can initiate proceedings herself, file a civil lawsuit, and seek redress for the injury suffered without any court fees.

However, a lack of community awareness of this legal progress limits its practical impact.

Survivors’ paths to healing extend beyond physical injuries

The impact of sexual violence far exceeds physical trauma. According to the Women Future Life Coordinator, Dr. Nerval Songolo Mutambala, psychological care is the cornerstone of healing. The practitioner primarily employs active listening, non-judgmental support, and emotion-regulation techniques in a trusting environment. He continues:

Si une victime ne souhaite pas s’exprimer immédiatement, personne ne doit la forcer. Nous devons scrupuleusement respecter son rythme.

If a victim isn’t ready to speak straight away, no one should pressure her. We must always go at her pace.

Dr. Nerval Songolo Mutambala also warns against social stigmatization. This sad reality compounds the initial trauma and drives some victims into isolation or even acts of desperation.

Essential media involvement

In Uvira, female journalists face deep-rooted prejudices, yet they play a vital role in raising collective awareness. For Joséphine Mungubi, Coordination of the Union of Women in the Media for Peace  (Union des Femmes des Médias pour la Paix, UFMP), women must be directly involved in news production.

On ne peut pas défendre les droits des femmes sans que les premières concernées ne portent elles-mêmes cette parole.

We cannot defend women’s rights unless those most affected lead the conversation themselves.

Her organization has scaled up its awareness-raising efforts on social media, the radio, and in displaced persons and disaster victim reception sites, hammering home a key message. They remind all sexual assault victims of the critical importance of attending a health facility within 72 hours. This timeframe is crucial for receiving emergency prophylactic treatment and tailored medical and legal support.

Shattering the silence barrier

In Uvira, these statistics reflect only a small part of a much deeper crisis. Behind every official case file lies a shattered trajectory, a destabilized family, and a community confronting its own failures.

Civil society commitments, legal developments, and healthcare worker efforts offer tangible solutions. However, as long as fear silences victims and impunity safeguards abusers, violence will continue to escalate. Today, the main battle is no longer keeping a record of these incidents, but rather, building a society where reporting rape isn’t considered an act of bravery, but a right exercised in absolute security.