Mary's Story
When Mary’s young daughter was brutally raped, she turned to CVT for counseling.
Through CVT in the Democratic Republic of Congo, she met other rape survivors and mothers whose daughters had been raped. When Mary and her daughter bravely identified the perpetrator to police, there was no arrest. The police gave false and evasive explanations for their lack of action.
Outraged by the lack of judicial recourse Mary formed a committee with the women of her community. The committee included survivors who were receiving counseling at CVT, wives of prominent community leaders and other wives, mothers and daughters. Together, they demanded that survivors of sexual violence receive appropriate attention and treatment from the authorities. As a result of their advocacy, the local police chief pledged to improve the response of his force to sexual violence cases. The support Mary received from CVT helped her find the strength and voice to become an active member of a committee entirely supported by the women of her community.
The names of survivors and some personal details have been changed to protect their identity. The photos represent the many countries and cultures represented by torture survivors. We do not use images of survivors to protect their identity and their safety.