In North Kivu, there are already huge numbers of people in need, and so caring for victims of sexual violence is challenging, particularly given the ongoing instability caused by armed conflict and the budget cuts faced by many humanitarian organizations working in this area. But the counselling centres have proven beneficial for many of the victims who do manage to access them.

Zuri*, a 39-year-old woman and mother of seven children, fled the town of Sake, about 25 km away from Goma, only to be raped by five armed men at a site for displaced people on the outskirts of Goma. She now encourages other victims to speak up and to urgently seek care so that they can start to heal.

“I already feel much better”, says Zuri. “I used to weigh 90 kg, but after the rape, I dropped down to 40 kg. At the moment, I’m already up to 75 kg. The treatment that I received at the Red Cross really helped me to recover mentally. I don’t think about what happened anymore.”

“They took care of me. I am really grateful for how well I was treated there. These places are so important. Anyone in a similar situation should visit one of the Red Cross centres to receive care.”