Many victims believe they are re-victimised due to their
inherent qualities, including their physical qualities (disability,
lack of medical or psychological support), their economic
situation (poverty, lack of education, lack of male figures for
protection and economic support, missed opportunities), and
their psychological qualities (resentment, trauma, isolation,
perception of helplessness).
communities, including insults, stigma and
rejection, which manifested in trauma, depression
and suicide attempts;
• that re-victimisation manifested in significant
economic effects, including the burden of
raising children alone, poverty, loss of property,
and lack of opportunities, mostly attributed
to a lack of formal or vocational training. She
noted that some women moving forwards sought
relationships not only for companionship, but
also for financial support, which, she argued, is
a form of economic support but also exposes
many women to exploitation and abuse;
• that there are substantial socio-cultural effects
for both survivors and, in the cases in which
survivors had children borne of rape, the
children. In particular, she identified the lack
of access to land and inheritance rights of
many children borne of rape, particularly in
cases where the fathers are unknown, as these
rights are tied to paternal lineage; and
• that some women are targeted for rape,
including marital rape, and domestic violence
because they have previously experienced
sexual and gender-based violence.
Kahunde then discussed some of the perceptions
of victims and survivors of sexual and genderbased violence regarding their re-victimisation.
She noted that many victims believe they are
re-victimised due to their inherent qualities,
including their physical qualities (disability, lack of
medical or psychological support), their economic
situation (poverty, lack of education, lack of male
figures for protection and economic support,
missed opportunities), and their psychological
qualities (resentment, trauma, isolation, perception
of helplessness). In cases where victims or survivors
were married, some of the respondents noted that
they had no desire for sex, which led to further
victimisation. The effect of this is that many victims
and survivors felt hopeless, embarrassed, unloved,
suicidal, stressed, and sad.
Kahunde then discussed responses to revictimisation and what was being done to
address and prevent it. In many cases, Kahunde
noted, local leaders are aware that re-victimisation
is happening, but their approach is a ‘blanket’
intervention – as opposed to addressing the
victims’ specific experiences – which precludes
authorities’ following up on the victims. She noted
that there are varying responses in terms of how
individuals prefer the issues to be addressed,
noting that, in some cases, families prefer to settle
the matter informally. She also noted that some
cases are not reported to authorities on account
of lack of access to transportation, which excludes
some victims and survivors from reaching the
relevant authorities.
In terms of better responses to re-victimisation,
Kahunde argued that support provided should
be in the form of health services, livelihood, and
economic support for women. She emphasised
that there should be mechanisms for redressing
past injustices, which offer reparations and social
assistance through community sensitisation.
Ultimately, she noted the importance of the specific
needs of each victim or survivor, emphasising
that the needs related to redress are unique to
each person.
16\ Accountability for conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence: Successes, challenges, narratives, and omissions
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