Do the Media Make Sexual Violence ‘Congolese’? Phallo- and Ethnocentrism in the International Coverage of Dr Mukwege’s Story

Widespread media and academic attention to sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has resulted in a huge influx of funding for victims and activism on behalf of women’s (sexual) rights. Such singular attention has, however, caused concern among some scholars. Often portrayed as unparalleled, never seen before, or exceptional, the DRC has become known as the ‘Rape Capital of the World’ (Wallström 2011). The various international accolades of Congolese gynecologist, Dr Denis Mukwege, which include the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize, serve to exemplify this view. While the prize rightly acknowledges the extraordinary work of Mukwege and brings global attention to an otherwise invisible conflict, it also reinforces the synonymization of the DRC with sexual violence.

Drawing on feminist and postcolonial theory, this chapter offers a discursive analysis of the news coverage of Dr Denis Mukwege’s Nobel victory in 4 online newspapers: Le Soir (Belgium), Le Monde (France), The Guardian (UK) and MediaCongo (DRC). The analysis reveals that women are represented in the coverage through a phallocentric frame which sees them as objects or even currency to be possessed and exchanged by men. This phallocentrism is embedded within a broader narrative of ethnocentrism which sees Africa as a troubled, indescribable, unknowable place in which sexual violence is inevitable and can only be prevented by Western civilization.