Spurred on by the powerful testimony during last week’s Senate Foreign Relations joint subcommittee hearing on the use of rape as a weapon of war, Senator Barbara Boxer vowed that she would quickly take action to draw the attention of President Obama and Secretary Clinton to this problem in two conflicts where rape is horrifyingly prevalent and brutal: Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
True to her word, Senator Boxer co-signed a letter with Senators Feingold and Shaheen yesterday calling on Senator Clinton to push for the United States to take a more active role in helping “stop this madness.” In the letter, they called what they learned “shocking, sobering, and tragic” and offered a set of recommendations to bolster the administration’s policy toward Sudan and Congo. They urged support for increasing awareness, ending impunity, and ensuring victims have access to necessary counseling and medical care, emphasizing that, “Every day that goes by without a clear and focused plan means more women devastated by unspeakable violence.”
You can read the full letter here and learn more about what was said at the hearing in a post here by my colleague Laura.
Update: Check out this video slideshow of the hearing –
Photo: Senators Boxer and Feingold listen to testimony at a Senate Foreign Relations joint subcommittee hearing last week