TITLE:
Drugs and Sexual Violence in the Conflict-Affected Region of Eastern DRC
AUTHORS:
Chelo Kpats Guyguy, Ngabu Kilo Serge
KEYWORDS:
Drugs, Sexual Violence and Conflict
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.7 No.3,
March
15,
2019
ABSTRACT: This study entitled “Drugs and Sexual Violence in the Conflict-Affected Region of Eastern DRC” analyses the relationship between the use of the cannabis drug and the commission of sexual violence in the Eastern region of the DRC affected by armed conflicts and gives an overview of the existing legal norms that regulate these problems, while proposing ways to eradicate these scourges. Indeed, it has been found that the abusive use of drugs (cannabis) in armed conflicts in Eastern DRC is one of the determining factors in the mass crime commissions of sexual violence. Likewise, it is assumed that the avowed objectives of destroying, annihilating, weakening, relocating the families of the victims, as well as the entire societies, have been the basis of the motives of the armed groups and of the other belligerents in order to gain military advantages on their enemies, by creating fear and mass leakage of the inhabitants before the insurgents. The magnitude of the atrocities has been commensurate with the need to conquer the territories in order to control the resources therein and to demand more conditions for the political negotiations. In order to understand this reflection, we have used two methods: on one hand, the empirical method is used to examine different random cases of the commission of sexual violence, thanks to the misuse of drugs, and on the other hand, we use an interdisciplinary approach to better understand this phenomenon, which saddens the population in eastern DRC. As the first pillar of all efforts to prevent sexual violence in armed conflict, we suggested strengthening the management of victims (medical and psychological monitoring, judicial assistance and empowerment of women and girls) and raising awareness of the population. Secondly, the prosecution of all the perpetrators (for detention and use of cannabis drugs as well as for commission of Sexual Violence) and the compensation of victims are considered as the second pillar. It is thus the responsibility of the Congolese Government to ensure the security of all its citizens, especially those in the conflict zones in East part of the DRC.