“I was afraid to tell anyone” – supporting survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Françoise, 17, fled her village when fighting approached. She lives in a camp for people uprooted by the conflict, on the outskirts of Goma, in North Kivu Province.

"With a group of other women, I started going to the forest to collect firewood for sale," she said. "About two weeks ago, we came across a group of uniformed armed men. We ran and they chased us. Two of them caught me when I fell on the ground and couldn't run any more. They raped me one by one. They didn't say anything. I could see they were also scared.

"When I could stand up and walk, I returned to the camp, hiding my torn clothes. I was afraid I would get pregnant. I was afraid to tell anyone. I felt useless, scared and alone. Finally, I decided to confide in the older women in the camp and they sent me [to the listening houses]."

"After sometime I found out that I was pregnant and contracted HIV😭".

The above was the message from the young lady seeking support for her and her child, also to find a way to be getting a better life to fight HIV further escalation