Survivor-centered approach: 5 Elements to support women after rape in armed conflict

Towards a Survivor-Centered Approach: Five Elements to Support Women and Girls after Sexualized and Gender-Based Violence in Armed Conflict

Rape is a massive attack on a person’s dignity. In times of peace, 50-65 percent of people affected develop traumatic stress reactions with severe long-term consequences. These might include a tendency to withdraw from social life, as well as chronic pain or sleep disturbances. In war and war-like conflicts, the effects of sexualized violence are exacerbated. Women who have experienced gender-based violence often face ongoing insecurity, endangerment and poverty, as well as – as a consequence of rape – stigmatization and social exclusion. To address the needs of women and girls after gender-based violence in armed conflicts, the women’s rights organization medica mondiale has developed an integrated, survivor-centered approach.