World Vision delegate at Sexual Violence Summit: "Enough talking - time to act"

Now that the voices of victims’ of war-time rape have been heard loud and clear during the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence, the world has a duty to act.

That was the blunt message to governments from World Vision delegate Angela Atim who was among the survivors of sexual abuse in conflict. The 32-year-old was urging action during the four day event, which ended in London today, Friday, 13 June 2014.

“Our voices have been heard and we survivors of sexual violence are no longer silent,” said Angela, who was kidnapped in 1996 by the Lords' Resistance Army aged 14.

She was subjected to eight years of sexual, physical and psychological abuse before escaping and receiving counselling from children’s charity World Vision.

Angela, who addressed the leaders urging them to bring perpetrators to justice, added:  “We want to believe that here in London a small but significant step has been taken by the world. 

“We want to believe that our quest for justice, understanding, acceptance - and above all a change in attitude - has made irreversible progress, however slow and challenging.”

World Vision Child Rights expert Erica Hall said:  “The prominent voices of survivors like Angela were the most powerful at the Summit.

“Yet this is just the beginning. The discussions have amplified what we need to do – develop and implement plans of action at national and local levels to end impunity, change attitudes to prevent sexual violence and to support survivors. 

“Now we must do it.”

Background to Angela's story: https://assets-staging.worldvision-testing7.co.uk/news-and-views/blog/2014/june/angela-story/