Seeking Justice
The Prosecution of Sexual Violence in the Congo War

Maps

Summary

Recommendations

To the Congolese government

To armed groups operating in eastern Congo

To the United Nations, multilateral donor agencies and donor governments

To the United Nations Security Council

To the ICC

Sexual Violence in the Congo War: A Continuing Crime

Patterns of sexual violence

Waiting for peace to come: sexual violence after June 2003

Male rape

The Legal Framework for Prosecution

International humanitarian law

International human rights law

Congolese military justice

The Congolese Criminal Code

In Search of Justice for Rape and other Sexual Crimes

Prosecution of sexual violence in Ituri

The prosecution of an RCD-Goma soldier: precedent or human rights abuse?

Other convictions for crimes of sexual violence in areas held by RCD-Goma

The Obstacles to Prosecution

Against all odds: victims want justice

Officials fail to deliver justice

The lack of protection

General problems with the judicial system

The way forward

Help for the Victims

Medical emergency

Psychological and social rehabilitation

Legal assistance

International Response

Medical assistance

Legal assistance and reform of the justice sector

International justice: the ICC investigation in Congo

Human rights monitoring and civilian protection by MONUC

Annex:  Who is who among the combatants in eastern Congo?

Acknowledgements

March 2005   Vol. 17, No. 1(A)