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Sophie Says Sexual Violence Should ‘Get Under Your Skin’ During DR Congo Visit

The Duchess of Edinburgh highlighted the weaponisation of rape in eastern DR Congo conflict zones and met survivors supported by UK-backed initiatives aiding thousands of victims.

  • From September 29 through October 2, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, spent four secret high-security days in the Democratic Republic of Congo to spotlight the weaponisation of rape.
  • Eastern DRC has long suffered conflict, with mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo enduring decades of war, displacing more than seven million people, and M23 rebel group seizing Goma and Bukavu earlier this year.
  • In Kinshasa, the duchess visited Panzi Clinic and observed Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Denis Mukwege operate on a five-year-old rape survivor, then met Makala Central Prison survivors and visited UK-funded Danish Refugee Council safe spaces.
  • Survivors described forced abortions, family rejection and dangers, some joining income-generating schemes making waffles or selling vegetables, which they called a `game changer`, while the duchess said the issue must get under your skin after meeting MONUSCO forces and female peacekeepers.
  • A long-standing advocate of WPS, the duchess supports the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, while some accused Britain of complicity for not acting firmly against Rwanda and M23.
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Sophie says sexual violence should ‘get under your skin’ during DR Congo visit

The Duchess of Edinburgh spent four days in the country during a secret high-security trip to ‘shine a light’ on the ‘weaponisation of rape’.

·London, United Kingdom
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The Telegraph broke the news in London, United Kingdom on Thursday, October 2, 2025.
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