Fatshimétrie: Silent scourge among women entrepreneurs in the DRC
The painful subject of sexual violence against women street vendors in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains a brutal reality that reveals the flaws in our society. These women, valiant entrepreneurs earning their living in an often hostile environment, are faced with dramatic situations that undermine both their physical and psychological integrity.
The observation is alarming: sexual violence affects many street vendors, whether they operate in conflict zones or peace zones. In Kinshasa, the bustling capital, these women are often the targets of harassment and sexual assault, sometimes perpetrated under the cover of fake customers or underhand scams.
Unfortunately, many of these victims remain silent, entangled in the fear of the gaze of others and social stigma. The 2006 law sentencing perpetrators to harsh sentences sometimes seems ineffective in the face of the scale of the problem and the impunity that too often benefits the aggressors.
The use of amicable settlement mechanisms, perceived as the simplest solution, ultimately turns out to be a roundabout way that does not take into account the real needs of the victims. These arrangements are often made to the detriment of the women who have been assaulted, who are excluded from the justice process and forced to keep quiet about their pain to avoid stigmatization.
The distressing testimonies of street vendors who have been raped and forced into silence reveal the scale of the tragedy. Indeed, some are forced into exile to escape the shame and discrimination of their own community. The obstacles to accessing justice are numerous: stigmatization, financial difficulties, lack of adequate medical and psychological care.
However, the fight against impunity and sexual violence requires the establishment of solid judicial mechanisms capable of guaranteeing the protection and reparation of victims. NGOs, despite their commendable work in providing free legal assistance, sometimes come up against the limits of the resources at their disposal to meet these urgent needs.
It is imperative that society as a whole mobilizes to break this cycle of violence and impunity that is plaguing the lives of many women street vendors in the DRC. The authorities must strengthen prevention, protection and justice systems so that these women can carry out their activities in complete safety and dignity.
Ultimately, the fight against sexual violence must be a national priority, a cry of alarm so that these courageous women never again fall victim to the silent scourge of “Fatshimetry”. It is time to offer them the protection and justice they deserve, so that they can finally live without fear or shame.