"Though My Father was a Killer, I Need to Know Him": Children born of genocidal rape in Rwanda and their perspectives on fatherhood.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest in understanding the contributions of fathers to child and family psychosocial conditions. However, fatherhood has been largely unexplored in relation to children born of conflict-related sexual violence. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to explore the realities and perspectives of children born of rape during the 1994 Rwandan genocide and in particular, their views on fatherhood and their biological fathers (who were perpetrators of sexual violence). PARTICIPANTS AND SETTINGS The sample included 60 youth (29 females/31 males), aged 20/21 years old. Participants were recruited through professional networks in three regions of Rwanda. Youth participants were aware of the circumstances of their birth. METHODS: In-depth qualitative interviews and focus group discussions were used to garner youth's perspectives and experiences. Inductive forms of data analysis were used whereby through careful reading and coding of transcripts the researchers identified key themes that were emerging from the data. RESULTS: Youth participants reported ambivalent and often conflictual feelings towards their father, tension-filled relationships with their mother, and maltreatment perpetrated by step-fathers. Despite their absence, fathers held a significant, vital and symbolic role in participants' perceptions of themselves, sense of identity, and family belonging. CONCLUSIONS: Children born of rape live with the intergenerational legacy of sexual violence in a context of father absence, strained family relationships, and community stigma. Specific father-related challenges need to be addressed when planning family, community and social policies and programs for children and youth in post-conflict societies.