The armed conflict in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo has had a devastating impact on the safety and well-being of women and girls. As civilians move in search of safety, they face multiple attacks and threats, including rape by individuals and gangs and forced recruitment and sexual slavery by armed militants operating with virtual impunity. Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) perpetrated in Goma and the surrounding areas is not merely a byproduct of war; it is a tactic of war used to terrorize, displace and control populations and to strip women and girls of their dignity and rights.