Congo's Sexual Violence Epidemic Against Children

The Democratic Republic of Congo is grappling with a devastating crisis that has largely remained in the shadows: a systematic wave of sexual violence targeting the country's most vulnerable population—its children.

Between January and September 2025 alone, more than 35,000 cases of sexual assault against minors were officially recorded. However, humanitarian organizations warn that this staggering number represents only the visible tip of a much larger, hidden epidemic.

Behind these statistics are individual tragedies—stories of childhoods shattered, futures stolen, and innocence destroyed in a conflict zone where violence has become a daily reality.

Among the thousands of victims, individual stories reveal the brutal reality of this crisis. Neema, just 11 years old, tried to make her attackers understand her age. "Les dije que solo era una niña, pero no me escucharon," she recalled—"I told them I was just a child, but they didn't listen."

Today, Neema carries the physical and emotional scars of her assault. She is pregnant with her violators' child, a living testament to the violence she endured.

For Grace, now eight years old, the trauma manifests in paralyzing fear. Every time she sees a man in military uniform, she trembles uncontrollably. Her terror is rooted in a horrific experience: while fleeing war with her family, she was sexually assaulted in a forest.

Then there is Amani, nine years old, who experienced the ultimate horror. She screamed for help as she was attacked, but no one came. During the assault, she was forced to watch as the men who raped her murdered her father before her eyes.

The 35,000+ documented cases represent a nine-month period, highlighting the alarming frequency of these attacks. This is not a sporadic problem but a systematic pattern of violence.

International organizations monitoring the situation believe the actual number of victims is significantly higher. Many cases go unreported due to stigma, fear of retaliation, lack of access to reporting mechanisms, and the breakdown of social structures in conflict-affected areas.

The crisis spans multiple regions of the country, affecting children from various backgrounds but disproportionately impacting those in conflict zones and areas of displacement.

Key factors contributing to the epidemic include:

• Ongoing armed conflict and presence of armed groups
• Mass displacement of civilian populations
• Breakdown of law enforcement and judicial systems
• Cultural stigma preventing victims from coming forward
• Limited access to medical and psychological support services

The psychological impact of these assaults creates a secondary crisis. Children like Grace, who now associates military uniforms with terror, face lifelong mental health challenges.

For victims like Neema, who is pregnant as a result of rape, the trauma is compounded by complex medical and social challenges. Young pregnancy in conflict zones carries severe health risks and often results in social ostracization.

Amani's experience represents perhaps the most severe psychological trauma—witnessing her father's murder during her assault. This dual trauma of personal violation and loss of a parent creates layers of psychological damage that will require extensive, specialized care.

These individual stories illustrate why international organizations emphasize that the documented cases represent only a fraction of the true scale. Many victims remain silent, unable to access support systems or too traumatized to report their experiences.

Each statistic represents a stolen childhood. The 35,000+ documented cases in just nine months translate to approximately 130 assaults reported every single day during that period.

These attacks occur in a context where children are already vulnerable due to conflict, displacement, and poverty. The violence compounds existing trauma and creates new layers of suffering.

For families and communities, the impact extends beyond the immediate victims. Parents like Amani's father, who tried to protect his daughter, become victims themselves. Communities lose trust in security forces and social structures.

The long-term consequences include:

• Physical injuries and reproductive health complications
• Severe psychological trauma and PTSD
• Social stigma and isolation
• Disrupted education and lost opportunities
• Intergenerational trauma affecting future families

The stories of Neema, Grace, and Amani represent thousands of other children whose voices remain unheard. Their experiences highlight the urgent need for comprehensive intervention.

Addressing this crisis requires coordinated efforts across multiple sectors: immediate protection for at-risk children, accessible reporting mechanisms, specialized medical and psychological care for survivors, and long-term strategies to prevent future violence.

Most critically, these children's stories remind us that behind every statistic is a human being—a child whose right to safety, dignity, and a future free from violence has been violated.

The international community's attention to this crisis remains essential, as does sustained support for local organizations working to protect children and support survivors in the Democratic Republic of Congo.