* Almost 250 women and girls speak of ways to break their daily fear of sexual violence;

* Close to half of the women and girls asked have a close friend who has been raped or have been raped themselves;

* Women and girls should be central to the creation of peace and security in Congo, urges World Vision.

Women and girls in eastern Congo fear soldiers meant to protect them as much as they do other armed actors involved in the intractable and brutal conflict, according to a new community-based study by international relief and development agency World Vision.

The study, carried out in the displacement camps and communities in North and South Kivu, found that women fear rape by any "men who wear uniforms", whether they be government forces or armed militias Sixteen out of 18 focus groups named armed groups as the main perpetrators of violence against women and girls.

Out of a total of 236 women and girls interviewed in 18 focus groups during March and April this year, almost half 116 out of the 236 participants had a close friend who has been raped or had been raped themselves. had a close friend who had been raped, or had been raped themselves.

Eleven of the groups also felt that the government army was a threat to their safety and ten called for all soldiers to be removed and replaced by well-trained, well-paid police. Sixteen of the groups named armed groups as the main perpetrators of sexual violence against women and girls.

Not one of the groups felt more secure as a result of the UN's peacekeeping force - known as MONUC - and some went beyond allegations of failure to protect them and claimed peacekeepers had endangered or infringed on the rights of women and girls.

One year after the United Nations Security Council stressed the importance of including women and girls in decisions made about their own protection in Resolution 1820, World Vision is urging the UN and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to listen to the calls of women interviewed for the report, entitled Speaking the unspeakable truth.

"The Government should take care of its army, provide them with uniforms and food and shelter them in a big army camp so they don't continue to roam in our streets and take our things," said a woman in South Kivu.

The majority of women and girls interviewed asked those with power to provide a fully-functioning military and justice system. Eleven out of the 18 groups felt any agreement to successfully bring lasting peace to eastern DRC should involve specific mechanisms to reform the military.

Sixteen-year-old Angela, Name has been changed to protect identity. who became pregnant after being abducted and raped by rebels, said: "Somehow, we must get it into the minds of men that women are mothers, sisters, daughters. If they thought of women that way, it would encourage them to respect women."

"The leaders who created these [peace] agreements had the pleasure of signing them but they did not honour the implementation," said a girl from North Kivu.

"The views and recommendations of the women and girls in eastern Congo have been almost completely ignored by high-level power-brokers negotiating peace in the region," said Sue Mbaya, World Vision's Advocacy Director for Africa. "Those most affected by the unspeakable crimes of sexual violence, must play a crucial role in advising on ways to break the increasing threat of rape."

As part of its work to help reduce the threat of violence against communities in eastern DRC, World Vision has trained 2,500 Government soldiers and police officers in International Humanitarian Law since October last year. Three-day workshops have been held in the provincial capital Goma and rural villages in North Kivu, with modules in human rights law and humanitarian principles focusing on responsibilities of military personnel in the protection of civilians.

World Vision has also formed community protection committees made up of both men and women, which work to redress some of the issues raised in the study. The agency has set up safe places for children to discuss sensitive issues, distributed firewood and introduced fuel-efficient stoves into displacement camps to reduce the number of dangerous trips women make to the forest.

Ends

For case studies, photographs or to arrange an interview with World Vision staff, contact Senior Emergency Communications Officer Anna Ridout on +44 (0)751 597 5079 or email anna.ridout@worldvision.org.uk

Notes to editors

To request a copy of World Vision's new study Speaking the unspeakable truth email Anna Ridout at anna.ridout@worldvision.org.uk

To read more online, visit http://www.worldvision.org.uk/server.php?show=nav.2810

World Vision has worked in DRC since 1984, responding to both relief and development needs in areas such as health and nutrition, water and sanitation, child protection and food security.