Gender norms and community attitudes towards survivors of sexual violence in DRC

Tens of thousands of women in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo have been subjected to sexual violence. Using data from a multi-method qualitative research conducted in 2011, this paper explores attitudes towards survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in eastern DRC and highlights the underlying role of gender norms. Across the study locations, a woman’s dignity and the level of respect she commands depend on her well she performs her roles of mother, cultivator of the land and caretaker of the household. A woman is expected to be respectful, well-behaved, dress appropriately, not be a troublemaker, and not be a “witch”. She must not exhibit any masculine traits such as wearing pants or nitiate sex. Any attempt by the woman to cross the lines of normative expectations can lead to conflict. The woman is also often perceived as an object of pleasure for the man. A woman who has experienced SGBV is often believed to have done something to warrant the action; for example, by crossing the lines of responsibility, acceptable dress code, or decorum. A survivor of SGBV is seen as having brought shame and dishonor to her family. Therefore, a woman that has experienced SGBV is not only regarded as “damaged goods”, she is seen as decreasing the value of her husband and the male members of her family.