13-year-old rape survivor struggles to care for baby in Malawi

“I have lost hope,” a 13-year-old rape survivor tells Inter Press Service. After fleeing war in Congo, she was attacked by her own stepfather in a Malawi refugee camp, where she lives with 11,000 others. Now, she must care for the baby produced by the rape.

As we reported in February, those running from conflict rarely find peace at refugee camps. From Pakistan to Darfur, young girls and women who have already lived through violence are often raped in the humanitarian zones meant to protect them. Lack of water and firewood, the crowded nature of ever-growing tent cities, poor oversight, and corrupt patrolmen who exchange food for rape are just some of the factors propelling the crisis.

Meanwhile, although the young survivor from Congo receives barely enough rations for her and her baby, she is prohibited from living elsewhere. Even more distressing, she is barred from finding a few hours’ work to earn money for food. Here’s the story from IPS, which explains why.