pregnancy was aborted at the health center. It was four months…. Now I have an involuntary flow of urine and urinary incontinence.” “I was hospitalized at the health centre. I was receiving an IV infusion one night when the soldiers came to pillage. They pulled out the IV catheters and then they started to rape the patients, including myself. By July, I had not had my period for seven months. I gave birth to twins. As a result of this incident, my husband has abandoned me.” THEME: LOSS OF VIRGINITY Some young women described losing their virginity through sexual violence. In some of these instances, there were particular concerns that the young woman might not be able to marry as a result of the rape. “They arrived at my house and said that they were going to take me away. They forced me to go to the forest with them and they raped me. I was forced to stay with them in the forest and I became pregnant. I would rather have died than keep this pregnancy, because I was a woman of prayer in the village. How can God allow this kind of misfortune to fall upon me? It upset me to lose my virginity to an unknown person. “I was at home preparing food in the kitchen when the three assailants entered the house. They forced me to go to another house where they were keeping cows. One man ‘deflowered’ me and then left me there. They all had guns and they were wearing military uniforms.” “I was in my house. Men in military uniform arrived, tortured everyone in the house and then forced me to go to the forest with them. Six men took turns raping me. They let me leave after one week. Now the whole village knows my story. Can I have a fiancé? Can I continue with my studies? I am in terrible despair.” THEME: LOSS OF FAMILY MEMBERS In some instances women witnessed the torture and murder of family members. The emotional distress caused by losing a child, spouse or other family member was extraordinary, especially when people were forced to watch the violence and could do little to protect their loved ones. “My husband and I were at home when the attackers broke down the door and entered the house. They tied up my husband and demanded money from him. Because he did not have any money, they put a knife to his face and turned it several times in his cheek. Then they stabbed him in the chest, at the level of the heart, and he died. They cut off my husband’s sex and put it in his mouth even though he was already dead. They also cut my children. All of them died and I was left alone. Then the three assailants took turns raping me. I came to Panzi Hospital to receive care.” 28