Jonglei calls for victims of gender violence to speak up

December 1, 2013 (BOR) – As part of 16 days of activism against gender based violence, Jonglei state authorities called for an end to rape and the harassment of vulnerable women in the state.

The period of campaigning to raise awareness about gender violence began on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence on 25 November and will culminate on Human Rights Day, which falls on December 10.

Speaking during the opening of a specialist health center for rape victims in Bor on Friday, Gabirel Gai Riam, the state’s minister of cabinet and parliamentary affairs, called on people to stop gender based violence and urged rape victims to seek help.

The health center was built this year within Jongeli state hospital in Bor, in collaboration of the Canada International Development Agency in partnership with World Health Organization.

Gender based violence “is an issue that we have come a long way [with] and in most cases it is an issue that had not been addressed”, said Gai.

“When you attempt to attack another person by force and particularly the women who are vulnerable, that traditionally is a crime.”

Many women have accused soldiers from the South Sudanese army (SPLA) of raping them during the disarmament process in Jonglei, which began in March 2012 following serious fighting between cattle herding groups.

In October military courts sentenced to five soldiers convicted of murder in Jonglei to the death penalty and gave prison sentences to two soldiers after they were found guilty of rape.

Gai said that cases of rape were most common around areas where the army are based for a long period without seeing their wives or girlfriends. Gai said that soldiers who ambush and rape women were behaving like “animals”.

Jonglei’s minister of health, Jehan Michek Deng, explained the impact of sexual exploitation to women and how the new center would help victims.

“Rape and sexual harassment have great impacts on people’s health, ranging from physical minor injuries to server injuries leading to death”, said Deng
She urged the victims “to come in and get treated” so they can regather their health and continue to be part of the community and national development.

(ST)

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