Child testimonies reveal escalating instances of sexual assault and rape within conflict-stricken Democratic Republic of Congo.
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Warning: This story includes graphic descriptions of sexual violence.
Seventeen-year-old Darkuna, not her real name, bore witness as six armed men barged into her home, waving guns around like they owned the place. "For God's sake, what are you after?" she yelled.
One of the brutal invaders locked eyes with the frightened girl and stated plainly, "I want you."
Once they had taken everything of value, each of the gunmen violated Darkuna and her eighteen-year-old sister. Their terrified parents were compelled to watch the horror unfold.
Darkuna shares her story with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) through a local partner organization based in Goma, a city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Since the rebel coalition Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), including the notorious M23 armed group, took control of key territories earlier this year – including Goma, which as of late January housed approximately 3 million people, 1 million of whom were displaced according to a February report on Relief Web – fighting in the mineral-rich region has intensified.
This escalation has exacerbated an apparently widespread epidemic of rape and sexual violence, aided groups claim, often targeting the youngest and most vulnerable individuals.
"The sheer number of sexual assaults against children in eastern DRC surpasses any notion of crisis – it's nothing short of a tragedy," Ramatou Toure, chief of child protection for UNICEF in the DRC, told CNN.
Upon CNN's request, UNICEF and Save the Children shared accounts from survivors of sexual assault who sought treatment at their affiliates' clinics. The identities of the victims were protected, with pseudonyms replacing their real names throughout.
These heart-wrenching testimonies provide a glimpse into the devastating reality of rape being a horrifyingly common aspect of the conflict in the DRC, usually committed with impunity against women and girls of all ages.
"I was powerless"
In January, the rampaging AFC rebel coalition stormed Goma, clashing with the Congolese military. Electricity, basic services, and water were cut off, while running street battles left the city battered and bloodied, claiming an estimated 7,000 lives. The lifeless bodies of the deceased filled the streets.
Among the chaos, 14-year-old Mudaralla, a helpless orphan living with her elderly grandmother, found herself a victim. She recounted her ordeal to CNN:
"Two men with guns burst into our home. My grandmother was powerless as they raped me. She wept, but there was nothing she could do. We kept it a secret. I didn't tell anyone. My grandmother was too ashamed and scared," Mudaralla's account states.
"My grandmother's biggest fear is that I might be pregnant or have contracted an infection. I don't know what the future holds."
Mudaralla's rape remained a secret for about a month after the attack until a community outreach worker, associated with UNICEF, visited her neighborhood and encouraged her to seek treatment. Countless other girls endure similar pain in silence, and even for those who do reveal their suffering, medical care and psychological support can be scarce.
"Survivors are facing significant barriers to accessing swift care due to the ongoing conflict," Greg Ramm, Save the Children's country director for DRC, told CNN. "The magnitude of these crimes is unfathomable."
Approximately 400,000 people were displaced due to the outbreak of fighting earlier this year according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).
In the confusion that ensued, hundreds of children were separated from their families, leaving them even more vulnerable to sexual assault by various parties to the conflict, according to UNICEF.
Children raped while gathering water
For families who managed to remain unified, there is no safe haven, and basic infrastructure to protect them from armed factions is non-existent. Aid workers with Save the Children warn that fetching water from a well is one of the most perilous activities for children in the conflict zone.
"This morning, my two teenage daughters, aged 15 and 13, were raped while drawing water," a distraught mother's testimony reads. "When they were going to fetch water, six armed men isolated them and raped them in turn. I intended to intervene, but I had just escaped death after being shot at twice. My daughters are in critical condition. Please pray for them."
Another account received by Save the Children details the assault of a young girl who, while drawing water near her home, was captured by armed fighters who attempted to force themselves upon her. When she resisted, the men shot the girl twice in the back. She miraculously survived and received medical treatment.
The AFC rebel faction, accused of numerous human rights violations, continues its relentless advance in the eastern regions of the DRC, most recently claiming control over the strategic city of Bukavu, where aid workers are already receiving reports of more child rape victims.
For survivors, justice remains out of reach. Although allegations of rape are soaring amid the current fighting, sexual violence has tormented the DRC for decades, especially in its mineral-rich east. In 2024 alone, tens of thousands of children found solace after surviving sexual violence or rape, according to Save the Children.
Rape remains a weapon of war utilized by all parties to the conflict at an alarming rate, but most cases of sexual violence go uninvestigated, unprosecuted, and unreported, according to the UN.
Rights groups argue that impunity encourages perpetrators, perpetuating a cycle of rape and violence that has been exacerbated by the surge in fighting this year.
This year, with the conflict spiraling out of control, aid workers fear an entire generation will be left physically and psychologically scarred by such attacks.
"Every day, we witness the devastating impact of sexual violence on children – some too young to even understand what's happened to them. We provide urgent essential care, but no one should be immune to the horror and tragedy these innocent lives face," Toure said.
- The world is witnessing a tragedy in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where the epidemic of rape and sexual violence against children, particularly the youngest and most vulnerable individuals, is at an all-time high. This horrifying reality is underscored in the story of seventeen-year-old Darkuna, a survivor who shared her harrowing account with UNICEF in 2024.
- In a similar vein, another child victim named Mudaralla, a fourteen-year-old orphan, was raped in Goma during the chaos that ensued as a result of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) rebel coalition's takeover in January. Despite sharing a similar experience, Mudaralla's case was kept a secret until a community outreach worker associated with UNICEF encouraged her to seek treatment.
- The escalating conflict in the DRC's mineral-rich region, aided by groups like the AFC and the notorious M23 armed group, has led to an estimated 400,000 people being displaced, leaving hundreds of children vulnerable to sexual assault by various parties to the conflict. Despite numerous accounts of sexual violence coming to light, justice remains out of reach for survivors due to impunity, which further encourages perpetrators and exacerbates the cycle of rape and violence.
