lens culture
Intended Consequences: Rwandan Children Born of Rape
Jonathan Torgovnik

Intended Consequences: Rwandan Children Born of Rape

Photos
12
Status
Public
Created
May 24, 2013
Updated
Jun 24, 2024
Categories
Portrait Documentary

Photos (12)

Olivia with her son, Marco. "I had a premonition that I might survive if I picked one child and ran away. I looked at all three of my children, and they all looked so nice to me that I couldnt pick one. But I also knew that I couldnt run with all three. Eventually, my heart told me to pick the firstborn. I learned later that my other two children I left behind were killed in the church.
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Justin with her daughter Alice, Rwanda. "We went to a church nearby because we thought that it would be safe. All of my family were killed in that church except me. About five thousand people had taken refuge there, but less than one hundred were rescued in the end."
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Clare with her daughter, Elisabeth. "When I found out I was pregnant, I thought that I would kill the child as soon as it was born. But when she arrived, she looked like my family, and I realized she was part of me. I started to love her. Now, I love my daughter so much; actually, our relationship is more like sisters."
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Josette with her son, Thomas. "I must be honest with you; I never loved this child. Whenever I remember what his father did to me, I used to feel the only revenge would be to kill his son. But I never did that. I forced myself to like him, but he is unlikable. The boy is too stubborn and bad. It's not because he knows that I don't love him; it is that blood in him."
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Isabelle with her son, Jean-Paul. "A group of militias attacked our home and killed my three brothers. Then they took me to a place where they raped me, one after the other. I am not interested in a family. I am not interested in love. I don't see any future for me. Sometimes...I regret that I didn't die in the genocide."
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Philomena with her daughter, Juliette
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Bernadette with her son, Fautin. "My mother negotiated with a militia member to try and save us. We gave him part of our eucalyptus plantation to save my brother, Turgen. Eventually they took me to the forest. He told the other militiamen to reduce my height because I had always been arrogant; so they got clubs and hit my legs. I couldn't move..." © Jonathan Torgovnik/Getty Images Reportage
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Marie with her son Isaac.
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Catherine with her son, Eugene.
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Valerie with her son, Robert.
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Delphine with her daughter, Sophie.
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Cover
Valentine with her daughters, Amelie and Inez.
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