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Burundi: Activists launch #StopBurundiRape campaign (IBtimes)

Civil society activists in Burundi have turned to social media to raise awareness about the increasing number of reported rapes and acts of sexual violence committed against women in the country.

Pacifique Nininahazwe is a Burundian human rights activist. He says: “Let many among us here tweet #‎BurundiStopRape … to alert the world to the use of rape of women as part of the repression of the opposition to Pierre Nkurunziza’s third term.”

Mr. Nininahazwe was referring to a number of rapes in so-called “dissenting” neighbourhoods, where protests against the government have spread since April. The activist claims that the Imbonerakure [1], members of the ruling party’s youth wing, are leading the calls for women to be raped.

Pamella Mubeza heads the Association des Mamans Célibataires (Association of Single Mothers) in Burundi. She says, “[Sexual violence is] used by [perpetrators as a weapon of war to] terrorize the victims, humiliate them, and weaken them.”

For more on this story: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/burundi-activists-launch-burundistoprape-campaign-amid-increasing-reports-offence-1535869 [2]

Photo credit: Noor Khamis