Intended Consequences

In 1994, in the East African nation of Rwanda, one million ethnic Tutsi people were slaughtered, in a genocide committed by their Hutu countrymen. But the scars left by these murderous militiamen go well beyond the numbers of the dead: they live on, in the lives of the women they held captive, raped - and left pregnant.

Intended Consequences tells the stories of some of these women, victims of the sexual violence used as a weapon of war against them. Some 20,000 children were born as a result. Photojournalist Jonathan Torgovnik photographed and interviewed 30 women and their families, and has produced a piece of incredible complexity: how does a woman care for her child when it's the son or daughter of the man who raped her?

Published: October 23rd, 2008

Credits

MediaStorm

A film by

Jonathan Torgovnik

Photography & Interviews

Chad Heartwood | MediaStorm

Editor, Producer & Studio Video

Brian Storm | MediaStorm

Director & Executive Producer

Bob Sacha | MediaStorm

On-Location Video

Pamela Chen | MediaStorm

On-Location Video & Original Music

Tim Klimowicz | MediaStorm

Graphics

Leandro Badalotti | MediaStorm

Translation - Portuguese

Special Thanks

Jules Shell, Lesley Martin, SURF - Survivors Fund, Aidan Sullivan, Cheryl Newman, Amy Yenkin, Yukiko Yamagata, Michael Famighetti, Melissa Harris, Diana Adkins, Melissa Robinson, Karen Robinson, Whitney Johnson, Peter Piot, Elisabeth Biondi, David Friend, Angelika Hala, Sue lapsien, Andreas Trampe, Marie Consolee, Audrey Jonkheer, Tanya Chuang, Jungwon Kim, Geoffrey Cowley, Amy Pereira, Simon Barnett, Sue Miklas, Jamie Wellford, Michelle Molloy, Paul Moakley, Beth Johnson, San Disk, Canon Europe, Kodak Professional, Newsweek Magazine, Getty Images, AVEGA, Grazia Neri

Support

This project was made possible with support from Canon Europe.

Get Involved

Foundation Rwanda

No existing government or NGO programs have been created to support children born from rape and the specific needs of their mothers. Foundation Rwanda was established to improve the lives of these children by:

1) providing funding for their secondary school education,
2) linking their mothers to existing psychological and medical support services, and
3) raising awareness about the consequences of genocide and sexual violence through photography and new media.

Help bring healing to mothers and hope to children. To learn more please visit: www.foundationrwanda.org

DONATE NOW

Amnesty International

Violence against women and girls represents a global health, economic development, and human rights problem. At least one out of every three women worldwide are beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, with rates reaching 70% in some countries. The International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) is an unprecedented effort by the United States to address violence against women globally.

Do your part to protect women and girls around the world from senseless acts of violence, and help pass the International Violence Against Women Act.