BUKAVU, Democratic Republic of Congo, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Women in Eastern Congo are being systematically raped amid the most recent outbreak of violence in the region, U.N. officials say.
About 27,000 sexual assaults were reported in South Kivu province last year, The New York Times reported Sunday, and the actual number could be much higher.
Despite $500 million elections last year, many parts of the country remain under the control of roving armed gangs that terrorize villages, the newspaper said.
The gangs kidnap women, use them as sex slaves and then turn a profit by demanding ransom.
Gang violence against women also seems to be having an effect on society as a whole, a social researcher told the Times. In some regions, the number of cases of men abusing or killing their wives has also increased.
U.N. peacekeepers have recently stepped up their efforts to keep villagers safe in violent regions, the newspaper said, but their efforts are small compared to the size of the problem.
