AFRICA/DR CONGO – The Bishops: "Violence against women is a crime against humanity"

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - "Due to endless rebellions in our Country, women and children are the first victims of this human barbarity" write the Bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo in a message for the World Day for the Elimination of Violence on women, which is celebrated today, November 25.
"Violence against women - continues the document, sent to Agenzia Fides - is a violation of human rights and has serious consequences, since it can prevent the progress in some sectors, such as the elimination of poverty, family stability, peace, security, and the fight against AIDS".
"Protecting women means protecting the nation", said the message. "As a mother, a woman contributes to the development and flowering of a new society". "Our Country, in addition to the efforts already made in this field, will first have to support women and accompany them in their struggle for the establishment of a society where their rights are not only recognized but actually implemented" the Bishops conclude.
"Women are a target of a war that has dragged on for 20 years in eastern DRC", explained Sister Teresina Caffi, of the Missionaries of Mary (Xaverian) in 2010 to Agenzia Fides (see Fides 21/10/2010). "Rapes are a way to destroy a people. We are not talking about a single soldier who because of his most brutal instincts, rapes a young woman, but of a systematic use of sexual violence to destroy people psychologically", continued the missionary.
"When women are raped in front of children or you compel members of the same family to incest, we are dealing with deliberate acts to destroy the humanity of people. We need to help spread the recent UN report which denounces these facts". (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 25/11/2014)