Coming up on 21st Century.
Coming up on 21st Century.

Exposed, attacked, and ashamed.
Exposed, attacked, and ashamed.

"I feel pain in my heart.
"I feel pain in my heart.

I cannot go back because of what they did to me." 
I cannot go back because of what they did to me." 

The brutal ordeal faced by Congo's women.
The brutal ordeal faced by Congo's women.

Hello and welcome to 21st Century. I'm Daljit Dhaliwal.
Hello and welcome to 21st Century. I'm Daljit Dhaliwal.

It is an impossible choice—
It is an impossible choice—

feed your family or run the risk of a brutal sexual attack. 
feed your family or run the risk of a brutal sexual attack. 

It has happened to hundreds of thousands of women
It has happened to hundreds of thousands of women

in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

since civil war broke out ten years ago.
since civil war broke out ten years ago.

The assaults show no sign of abating
The assaults show no sign of abating

even though a simple solution could reduce the risk.
even though a simple solution could reduce the risk.

(Music)
(Music)

Above: a brooding volcano.
Above: a brooding volcano.

Below: the forest – traditionally a place of refuge and shelter.
Below: the forest – traditionally a place of refuge and shelter.

But in this forest, in the eastern part of the  Democratic Republic of the Congo, 
But in this forest, in the eastern part of the  Democratic Republic of the Congo, 

day after day women are forced to take a desperate gamble.
day after day women are forced to take a desperate gamble.

All they need is firewood –
All they need is firewood –

a bundle of sticks so that they can cook food for their families –
a bundle of sticks so that they can cook food for their families –

but this search exposes them to unspeakable violence.
but this search exposes them to unspeakable violence.

[Local language]
[Local language]

"We have to go to the forest for firewood so we can eat.
"We have to go to the forest for firewood so we can eat.

We just don't have any choice."
We just don't have any choice."

Mawazo, and women like her, have lost everything because of war.
Mawazo, and women like her, have lost everything because of war.

They walk miles to the forest for wood, often traveling in groups of four or five.
They walk miles to the forest for wood, often traveling in groups of four or five.

If they're unlucky,  they'll encounter men with guns. 
If they're unlucky,  they'll encounter men with guns. 

Forced to flee, they'll scatter in different directions.
Forced to flee, they'll scatter in different directions.

The weakest and the slowest will be caught.
The weakest and the slowest will be caught.

"Five of us were in the forest.
"Five of us were in the forest.

When I tried to run, I fell and men caught me and raped me."
When I tried to run, I fell and men caught me and raped me."

A brutal attack could come at any moment –  
A brutal attack could come at any moment –  

by marauding militia groups – raping at gunpoint.
by marauding militia groups – raping at gunpoint.

The results are often horrific.
The results are often horrific.

(Dr. Kuyunga) "The attackers often use a blunt instrument. 
(Dr. Kuyunga) "The attackers often use a blunt instrument. 

So, it could be a piece of wood or a knife."
So, it could be a piece of wood or a knife."

Dr. BienVenue Kuyunga is the admitting physician 
Dr. BienVenue Kuyunga is the admitting physician 

at the HEAL Africa Hospital
at the HEAL Africa Hospital

where victims of attack come for treatment.
where victims of attack come for treatment.

[Local language]
[Local language]

"For example, there's the case of just examined.
"For example, there's the case of just examined.

She told me the attackers were looking for money. 
She told me the attackers were looking for money. 

[Local language]
[Local language]

They thought she'd hidden some in her vagina.
They thought she'd hidden some in her vagina.

I don't know exactly how they did it.
I don't know exactly how they did it.

But it caused such severe injury to her;
But it caused such severe injury to her;

you couldn't make out the vagina from the anus."
you couldn't make out the vagina from the anus."

Dr. Kuyunga's patients need corrective surgery,
Dr. Kuyunga's patients need corrective surgery,

sometimes multiple operations to repair the damage.
sometimes multiple operations to repair the damage.

The women in this area of Eastern Congo have fled war
The women in this area of Eastern Congo have fled war

and now live in camps on the edge of Virunga National Park.
and now live in camps on the edge of Virunga National Park.

In ten years of conflict –
In ten years of conflict –

as government forces battle with rebel groups –
as government forces battle with rebel groups –

almost a million people  have left their homes –
almost a million people  have left their homes –

some as many as five times –
some as many as five times –

victims of war and its plagues of
victims of war and its plagues of

killing, looting, burning, and rape.
killing, looting, burning, and rape.

A year and a half ago,
A year and a half ago,

35-year-old Jeanine ran from her village
35-year-old Jeanine ran from her village

with her two children to escape the fighting.
with her two children to escape the fighting.

Her husband has been missing since.
Her husband has been missing since.

She thinks he's dead.
She thinks he's dead.

[Local language]
[Local language]

"I have trouble getting food.
"I have trouble getting food.

All the time the children are hungry. They cry a lot."
All the time the children are hungry. They cry a lot."

Jeanine sought refuge in the Muganga 2 camp
Jeanine sought refuge in the Muganga 2 camp

for internally displaced persons in North Kivu ...
for internally displaced persons in North Kivu ...

but she didn't find safety.
but she didn't find safety.

"The day after I got into the camp, we were very hungry.
"The day after I got into the camp, we were very hungry.

So, I went to collect firewood with a few other women.
So, I went to collect firewood with a few other women.

We thought God would help us come back safely.
We thought God would help us come back safely.

But I was raped."
But I was raped."

The result of that brutal encounter is her baby son.
The result of that brutal encounter is her baby son.

The name she gave him is "Thanks".
The name she gave him is "Thanks".

"Thanks ... I called him that
"Thanks ... I called him that

because I give thanks to God for everything that happens to me."
because I give thanks to God for everything that happens to me."

Jeanine and her three children
Jeanine and her three children

sleep in a small hut that sits on lava rocks.
sleep in a small hut that sits on lava rocks.

Since the attack,
Since the attack,

she's been too traumatized
she's been too traumatized

to venture into the forest again.
to venture into the forest again.

"When something bad has happened to you,
"When something bad has happened to you,

there is nothing you can do about it."
there is nothing you can do about it."

There are more than 14,000 people living here
There are more than 14,000 people living here

in makeshift tents, struggling to survive.
in makeshift tents, struggling to survive.

Across North Kivu in Congo,
Across North Kivu in Congo,

there are over 90 camps,
there are over 90 camps,

and few of them are free of danger.
and few of them are free of danger.

One in ten women here say that they have been raped.
One in ten women here say that they have been raped.

"It is just the top of the iceberg."
"It is just the top of the iceberg."

Ibrahima Coly of the UN Refugee Agency.
Ibrahima Coly of the UN Refugee Agency.

"From January, up to [the] end of February,
"From January, up to [the] end of February,

there were more than 4,000 cases of gender-based violence."
there were more than 4,000 cases of gender-based violence."

In all, hundreds of thousands of women in Congo have been sexually assaulted.
In all, hundreds of thousands of women in Congo have been sexually assaulted.

For the survivors, the psychological scars are as deep as the physical ones.
For the survivors, the psychological scars are as deep as the physical ones.

Untamatonde's [spelling unknown] village  was overrun by rebels.  
Untamatonde's [spelling unknown] village  was overrun by rebels.  

"It happened a lot. Rebels coming and raping women. 
"It happened a lot. Rebels coming and raping women. 

If people had known they were coming, we would have run away,
If people had known they were coming, we would have run away,

but that night, we didn't know." 
but that night, we didn't know." 

The rebels raped 54-year-old Untamatonde as well as her daughter-in-law.
The rebels raped 54-year-old Untamatonde as well as her daughter-in-law.

Then, they took her clothes and burnt down her house.
Then, they took her clothes and burnt down her house.

She's left with an overwhelming feeling of shame.
She's left with an overwhelming feeling of shame.

"I feel pain in my heart.
"I feel pain in my heart.

I cannot go back because of what they did to me.
I cannot go back because of what they did to me.

Three people raped me in front of my son."
Three people raped me in front of my son."

Now she can't bring herself to return to her family.
Now she can't bring herself to return to her family.

"My mother-in-law would rather kill herself than go back to the village."  
"My mother-in-law would rather kill herself than go back to the village."  

Untamatonde and her daughter-in-law have agreed to take counseling.
Untamatonde and her daughter-in-law have agreed to take counseling.

But such is the stigma of rape that few women step forward to speak about it.
But such is the stigma of rape that few women step forward to speak about it.

"First of all, individually, [it] is a humiliation.
"First of all, individually, [it] is a humiliation.

It's a humiliation to the person.
It's a humiliation to the person.

And that person needs to inform her family about what's happened,
And that person needs to inform her family about what's happened,

which is another humiliation."
which is another humiliation."

For the women who need to collect firewood,
For the women who need to collect firewood,

a simple practical solution is to provide them with wood in the camps,
a simple practical solution is to provide them with wood in the camps,

thus eliminating their need to go out into the forest.
thus eliminating their need to go out into the forest.

An aid agency Mercy Corps is doing exactly this 
An aid agency Mercy Corps is doing exactly this 

by giving out five kilos of wood per person.
by giving out five kilos of wood per person.

But there's only enough for just one tenth of this camp's population.
But there's only enough for just one tenth of this camp's population.

So, for the most part,
So, for the most part,

women are left to fend for themselves.
women are left to fend for themselves.

Every day, the search for firewood goes on.
Every day, the search for firewood goes on.

And it will continue
And it will continue

so long as women have no choice
so long as women have no choice

but to run the risk of attack.
but to run the risk of attack.

The forest, which has long been a source of food and shelter,
The forest, which has long been a source of food and shelter,

has also become a source of terror.
has also become a source of terror.