Panel discussion commemorating International Women's Week. Free public event, free parking available.
Please RSVP here.
Speakers:
Dr. Andrea Brown, Associate Professor of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University
Leslye Rost van Tonningen, Senior Emergencies Program Manager, CARE Canada
Alyson Rowe, Manager of Public Outreach, WarChild Canada
About the conflict:
Though much of the country is now at peace, sexual violence in Congo rages unabated, amid widespread indifference and in a climate of impunity. Savage rapes are committed against women as old as 87 and children as young as 10 months. Few of the culprits are punished: There is no functioning justice system to speak of, and most attacks go unreported. Victims are disgraced and frequently ostracized by their families and communities. The ripple effect of these crimes extends far beyond the individual victims, destroying family and community bonds and leaving children orphaned and HIV-positive. Many survivors, having lost everything and suffered immeasurable physical and psychological trauma, require multiple surgeries and long-term medical care—and these are the lucky ones.