the frosting

NOTE: Sensitive subject matter discussed.

Rape. Just a word. A word that has become so commonly heard that its meaning seems to be detached and left dwindling somewhere. Another story nonchalantly acknowledged by the media. Another young girl who claims she was raped by a well- to-do man for money. Another drunk night. Another fuzzy memory.

Rape is the most commonly used weapon in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo today and has been in many other countries for centuries. Not only have these Congolese women been forced to have sex with men who knowingly have HIV/AIDS but, their vaginas and rectums have been brutally blown apart by rusted guns. Along with their severely damaged bodies comes their severely damaged dignity and sense of self worth.

Life is heavy. But someone always has a heavier load. Educate yourself.