a gynecologist from congo who's treated women who've suffered injuries after being raped in the d.r. see rape and sexual abuse have been used as weapons of war in several african countries for example celts have done the democratic republic of congo the central african republic and mali all countries torn by years of conflicts now when it comes to rape in conflicts impunity is still the norm the perpetrators of those who carry out and direct violence usually escape justice or even sanction i'm now joined by dr chu say to me being gay she's an author and specialist on gender based violence and she's based at the university of stanford in the united states while come to you dr what perpetrates is that one to begin by asking you that we we've often observed sexual violence being used as as a weapon of war as a tactic in war in conflict zones in africa what in what ways do we see this being