The Hill: Sexual and gender-based violence in the Congo — better tools are needed to battle it
Tyler B. Evans, chief medical officer for the Santa Cruz County (California) Health Services Agency, associate professor at the University of Southern California, and member of the Global Outreach Doctors Board of Directors

“…A recent study demonstrated that 39.7 percent and 23.6 percent of women and men, respectively, reported sexual violence [in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)]. … The tools needed to build resilience are necessary to empower communities. Such tools are a basic provision of care built into robust systems that support mental health care. [Sub-Saharan Africa] (particularly the DRC) is wholly lacking such systems, and it is time this changes. It is within the scope of care of Congolese PCPs to manage mental health. Until they do, the health care system will continue to remain saturated by the more topical physical conditions with underlying mental health correlates, and a nation of such vibrancy and strength will never reach its full potential” (11/5).