Rape of women and girls in the Congo

Blogger and Disciples minister Thomas Kleinert of Vine Street Christian Church in Nashville shares his concern over the plight of women and girls in the Congo, where brutal rape has become a widespread weapon in the ongoing war there.

Kleinert links to a Glamour magazine article by Eve Ensler (of Vagina Monologues fame) who traveled to Congo to interview women and girls who have survived this unimaginable violence, thanks in part to the work of a doctor who has opened a hospital to care for them.  Ensler’s in-depth article is stunning. It’s not for the faint of heart, or stomach, and I admire the bravery of these women who shared their stories with her, and her ability to take them in and write about them.

Clicking around from there, I came across links to something called V-Day – an initiative by Ensler and others to help these women and girls. There is a lot of info on the site, but especially compelling is the photo gallery, I’m including a link here because it puts a human face on the story.

Let’s keep these women and girls in our prayers. And thanks, Rev. Kleinert, for sharing this.