I Survived

Trigger/Content warning: This post contains an account of a sexual assault and murder.










I had just prepared supper for my family and we were seated in our house. Suddenly the dogs of our neighbour started barking viciously; we heard footsteps, and before we could even realise anything, our door was kicked open by men in huge boots, and carrying all manner of weapons. I was frightened. I knew they were members of the rebel militia Sabaot Land Defence Force.


They accused my husband of being a traitor, and they dragged the two of us out of the house. They then took us to the forest and raped me for days, taking it in turns and saying that I would pay the price on behalf of my husband, forgetting that they had already killed him. He was beheaded as I watched, and they buried him.

I escaped several days later. I pretended to fetch firewood to make food for the men and once I was out of their eyesight I fled to the nearest town.  I could not return to my hometown as it had been overtaken by militia.

I became pregnant as a result of the gang rape. I don't know which one of the men fathered my child. When I started going for antenatal care, I learned that not only was I pregnant as a result of the rapes, but I also contracted HIV.