VOICES for the VOICELESS.

Pewa - 12 years old

I was born about 100km from Sake. There are four in my family including me. There are two boys and two girls. I went to school until the third year. I often live remembering when I was raped (about three years ago).

The military came one night, it was about 10 p.m. and we were sleeping. My mother and father were in one room and me and my two brothers and sister in the living room. They kicked down the door and came in, into the living room so saw us children first. There were five men. I was the first to be raped. They ordered me to take of all my clothes, including my underwear. I tried to refuse but they told me they would shoot me. I was crying and refusing. I tried to run out but they pushed me back with their hands, pointing their guns at me. I fell on to a mat on the floor.

My brothers and sisters had run into my parent's room. The military didn't touch them they were very small. My parents had tried to come out when this was happening to me but were forced back in. I was naked. They had forced me to take my clothes off. Four of the men were holding me down, one on each leg and one on each arm, while the other raped me. I was weeping so much. I couldn't stop asking the question in my head; "why hadn't we moved like other people, these men will give me diseases." I thought of HIV. They said nothing at all, the 5 men raped me one after the other. I had terrible pain in my abdomen and vagina. I started bleeding. I just lay there I couldn't move. When they had finished with me they went into my parent's room. They beat my father and tied his hands behind his back and tied his legs. Then all 5 of the men raped my mother, my brothers and sisters and my father had to watch as they raped her. I was still in the other room on my own, all I could hear was all of them screaming.

After they left, we sat up all night, we couldn't sleep and couldn't talk, and we just sat in silence until morning. We left our home. I met with a counsellor and she sent me to Mweso referral hospital and I was given medication (HEAL Africa funded). I had a disease but I don't know the name. I had abdominal, pelvic and vaginal pain and a thick yellowish discharge. I am better now, and my mother has also been treated and is ok. I fear to go out at night after what happened.

Photography by Georgina Cranston http://www.georginacranston.com/
Please click to view a montage of Georgina's work in DR Congo.
When these women told their stories they did not use the word rape. They would say "taken" or "when I was taken." Georgina has written raped in these case studies to save confusion. All names in the case studies have been changed. All women have given consent for their stories and pictures to be shared.