Survivor Stories

SHE WAS ONE OF THE FEW WHO CAME TO PANZI BEFORE IT WAS TOO LATE

In Kinshasa, only 11% of sexual violence survivors treated at the One Stop Center are seen within the critical 72-hour window. Bijou was one of them, and that decision changed everything.

One evening of February 2025, Bijou* was returning home from celebrating a friend’s birthday near Bandale. What was a routine ride home on a moto taxi, turned into a horrific attack, just a few steps from her home.

During the ride, the driver began telling her a story about a woman who had once been robbed by her motorcycle driver at gunpoint. Bijou didn’t know yet that the story was about her and as they approached her street, the driver went further than expected and stopped suddenly.

When she stepped off the motorcycle, he pointed a weapon at her head, took her $30 in cash, and forced her away from her front door to the corner of the avenue, where he brutally raped her.

Still in shock, Bijou walked home in tears and reached out to a friend late that night, who told her about the Panzi Clinic. The next morning, she walked through Panzi’s doors where she was immediately directed to a social worker who welcomed her and listened without judgment.

In 2025, only 11% of the 303 cases of sexual violence treated at Panzi’s Kinshasa One Stop Center were seen within the 72-hour window.

I was afraid I might have caught diseases or become pregnant

Terrified of having contracted a disease or becoming pregnant, the doctor commended her for coming within the 72-hour window, a critical threshold for treatment that only a fraction of survivors ever reaches in time.

In 2025, only 11% of the 303 cases of sexual violence treated at Panzi’s Kinshasa One Stop Center were seen within the 72-hour window.

Bijou was in a serious psychological state of shock, afflicted by deep sadness, intense guilt, and suicidal thoughts. With the holistic support of the Panzi team, she regained her dignity and found her smile again after receiving medical and psychological care. She was provided a space to rest, recover, and heal at her own pace.

And one day, during a group therapy session at the clinic, she felt empowered to stand as a model of resilience for fellow survivors, that it was truly possible to find your strength again, to rebuild yourself, and to positively impact the lives of others.

Disclaimer: The name used in this story is a pseudonym to safeguard the survivor’s privacy. Any photos accompanying this content are illustrative only and do not represent the individuals involved