An agricultural field, a dangerous place for women : survivors of sexual violence’s experience ineastern democratic republic of Congo

This study investigates Congolese girls’ and women’s experience in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo concerning the rape they face during field activities. A qualitative approach was employed to collect data from 40 single young women and married women aged 18–45 years old. Four focus group discussions and 28 individual interviews were conducted among women survivors of sexual violence from the South and North Kivu provinces. Findings indicate that the agricultural fields in remote areas represent a sexually hostile work environment where militias or attackers gang-rape women and girls. According to the participants, they occasionally avoid going to the fields due to pain, fear, and illness resulting from rape. It is believed that the enemy is using such brutal rape as a tactic to instil fear in the community and families in order to force them to starve. Greater efforts are needed from the government to ensure the protection of traumatized population, girls and women living in rural areas.