Salamabila Sexual Violence Testimonies: Mama Hortense

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In Salamabila, in the eastern province of Maniema in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, open and volatile conflict in the area is leading not only to continuous waves of displacement in the region but also to large numbers of victims of sexual violence among the civilian population. MSF has treated 157 victims of sexual violence since the beginning of the intervention with a peak of cases in May 2018 (53 people in one month). Victims desperately need external assistance for treatment and survival, but MSF is the only permanent actor providing health care in the area. MSF teams have been treating survivors of sexual violence since the beginning of the emergency intervention in April 2018. The prevalence of sexual violence at the hands of armed men is a major concern, both for the population and the staff providing treatment.