Survivors’ Sociocultural Status in Mwenga: A Comparison of the Issue before and after Rape

• Main Authors: Buuma Maisha, Judith Malette, Karlijn Demasure
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-06-01
• Series: Social Sciences
• Subjects: women; sexual taboo; rape; sociocultural status
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/6/2/64

This article discusses psychosocial challenges faced by women survivors of rape in their families and communities based on the interpretation of rape as a sexual taboo and held beliefs that automatic transgression of taboo, through unwanted sexual contact, defiles and endangers survivors and those who associate with them. This article raises awareness on these challenges and provides contextualized useful knowledge for professionals in helping the relationship with survivors and for gender relations policy makers. Built on results from a doctoral qualitative, grounded theory-based research, the article presents survivors’ stories from women who suffered rape and therapists who provided multidisciplinary services to them. Researchers have found that rape is widely believed to be a sexual taboo in Mwenga and other rural areas from the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The results suggest that efforts to support healing and social integration of survivors can be well supported by taking into consideration the contextual belief system around sexual defilement as this plays a significant role in post rape relations for survivors in their families and communities.