ABSTRACT
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in conflict-affected areas and non-conflict settings alike, sexual and gender-based violence against men and boys is ignored not because people are not willing to learn about it, but because they have little information about the issue in general. Male victims also do not identify themselves as victims of sexual violence but as victims of torture, crimes, and mistreatment. One question that should be addressed is to what extent men and boys who are victims of sexual violence have also perpetrated violence on women and children. The effort to make sexual violence against men a global issue sets up a competition between male and female victims that will reduce international attention to women survivors. The authorities and justice systems also lack understanding of sexual violence against men and boys, especially in conflict settings.
