Over 3 million people have lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo over the last decade. It's been called "Africa's War," as armies from multiple countries rape and pillage the DRC's vast resources. The Congo's villages have become sites of brutal and horrendous massacres. In the middle of the night, bands of guerilla armies will invade communities and systematically gang rape women and girls. Worse, often husband and children are not only forced to watch, but at times boys are forced to rape their own mothers. There have also been countless reports of cannibalism perpetrated there. It is the worst example of humanity, it is sick.
For the Oprah show, my friend Zainab Salbi took me to the Congo. She runs www.womenforwomen.org, an extraordinary organization that helps to rehabilitate women. As you can imagine, women who have lived through such inexplicable horrors are deeply shattered. Giving them a chance to feel human again is no small task, but that's what Zainab's organization is committed to doing.
Among the plethora of things that shocked me was I learned that husbands often leave their wives after the rape-this disgusted me. After talking to a group of men, however, it became apparent that these men left because they felt powerless and degraded. They told me that not being able to protect their wives and children was a source of utter shame. I actually felt moved by the admission of their loss of face and manhood.
