Lucie, 28-years-old and a mother of four from Bunyakiri, lost her leg, when an armed man shot her three times, then raped her. She has since been abandoned by her husband and will not return to her home, terrified of another attack. Lucie has been a patient at the Panzi hospital in Bukavu, south Kivu for a month.

"It was a Sunday, I was preparing for a trip to Bukavu where I had to buy a can of oil. I thought I'd better take it straight to the vehicle I would be travelling in. From my home to the car park, it is about a kilometre. It was about 6.30 in the evening.

I met the driver, and we chatted and he agreed to take me on his truck. He told me that we would leave at five o'clock the following morning.

"He told me to sleep with him. I refused. He started to force me. I refused. He insisted. He shot me three times in the (right) leg."
Lucie, aged 28

At about 7pm I was on my way home and I met a soldier. He stopped me and took me by the hand. He told me to sleep with him. I refused. He started to force me. I refused. He insisted. He shot me three times in the (right) leg and into the air four times. There was a lot of blood on the ground. He tore my underwear.

When he raped me he put his gun on the floor. When he had finished he said, "I'll kill you". I felt I should protect myself, so I took the gun. He was putting his clothes back on and realized I had the gun. He tried to seize it, and he bit me on the left cheek. He scratched me and pulled me. I shouted and shouted. There were houses all around. People heard my cries and came out with lamps. The soldier fled, leaving his gun and his beret."

Neighbours took Lucie to hospital in Bunyakiri, and, from there, to Bukavu. Despite a blood transfusion, doctors were unable to save her leg.