Burundi: No protection from rape in war and peace

Women throughout Burundi suffered widespread rape and other forms of sexual violence during conflict up to 2005. Despite the end of hostilities rape continues to be reported in huge numbers.

Rape is the most reported form of sexual violence in Burundi and is committed by both state and non-state actors including law enforcement officials and military officers. Rape of women and girls is prevalent in the home and community and the problem is widespread throughout Burundi. Between 2004 and 2006, an average of 1,346 women a year reported their cases to Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) - 26 per week. Statistics like these only represent the tip of the iceberg. Information provided by the media, human rights and health organisations only includes those women who are able to reach medical or counselling centres. Countless others suffer in silence.

The Burundian authorities are failing to prevent, investigate and punish rape or sexual violence. Perpetrators regularly escape prosecution and punishment. The rate of successful prosecutions for sexual crimes in Burundi is very low.

Levels of rape and other forms of sexual violence within the community and the family are very high.  63.2% of rapes in Burundi were allegedly linked to neighbours and close relatives – in other words, to perpetrators who have a relationship with or are known to the victim. Girls and young women are most at risk: in December 2006, 60% of reported rapes were committed against minors.  Other vulnerable groups include widows, returned refugees and women living alone.

Rape continues to be concealed at community level because women are too afraid to report it.  Women often do not report rape because they fear reprisal attacks from the perpetrator.  In addition, women in Burundi are subjected to various forms of gender discrimination, including the social stigmatisation of rape victims by their families and communities.

Amnesty International believes the Burundian authorities must provide adequate health care, legal assistance and psychosocial support, including counselling, to victims of rape.  As a first step towards this aim, the government should establish a nationwide legal aid programme for victims and should accurately monitor all reported cases of rape and sexual violence.

Background

Burundi is one of the world's poorest nations, with a population of 7.3 million.  A 12-year, ethnic-based civil war ended in 2005 but ensions between the dominant Tutsi minority and the Hutu majority remain. Human rights violations by government forces continue, including arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture and ill-treatment and extrajudicial executions. Amnesty International has accused the ruling party of interfering with the executive and the judiciary, and seeking to silence criticism in the media, by political opponents and by human rights defenders.

Law enforcement officials and the judicial authorities regularly demonstrate an unresponsive and uncaring attitude to victims reporting crimes - an attitude that results in a failure to fulfil their professional duties. Judicial police officers place a disproportionate emphasis on the completion of a medical report as a precondition for starting legal proceedings - whilst not attempting to secure evidence using other investigatory techniques.  As a result of the failures in the criminal justice system, victims and their families resort to traditional and informal dispute resolution systems, often negotiating monetary payment with the perpetrator or the family of the perpetrator. This practice may also result in a victims being married off to the perpetrator, which further compounds the original injustice suffered by the victim.

Medical and psychosocial services available to rape victims are currently only provided by international and national NGOs; however overall levels of assistance are very low and not adequate to cope with the number of rape and sexual violence cases in Burundi.

Women throughout Burundi suffered widespread rape and other forms of sexual violence during conflict up to 2005. Despite the end of hostilities rape continues to be reported in huge numbers.

Rape is the most reported form of sexual violence in Burundi and is committed by both state and non-state actors including law enforcement officials and military officers. Rape of women and girls is prevalent in the home and community and the problem is widespread throughout Burundi. Between 2004 and 2006, an average of 1,346 women a year reported their cases to Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) - 26 per week. Statistics like these only represent the tip of the iceberg. Information provided by the media, human rights and health organisations only includes those women who are able to reach medical or counselling centres. Countless others suffer in silence.

The Burundian authorities are failing to prevent, investigate and punish rape or sexual violence. Perpetrators regularly escape prosecution and punishment. The rate of successful prosecutions for sexual crimes in Burundi is very low.

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