Bukavu , Democratic Republic Of Congo ( CNN ) -- Many of Congo 's rape survivors took to the streets Sunday to speak out against sexual violence in a country where it has become a weapon of war . `` My heart is in pain , why are you raping me ? '' sang the rape victims , many of whom left hospital beds to join the march in eastern Congo . `` They have had enough , enough , enough , enough , '' said Nita Vielle , a Congolese women 's activist , of the women marching . `` Enough of the war , of the rape , of nobody paying attention to what 's happening to them . '' The United Nations has named the Democratic Republic of Congo the `` rape capital of the world , '' with 15,000 women raped in eastern Congo last year . The attacks occurred in parts of the country where armed rebel groups moved into areas considered to be pro-government but lacking in army or police protection , according to the U.N. Margot Wallstrom , the U.N. secretary-general 's special representative on sexual violence in conflict , said recently that one distraught Congolese woman had told her that `` a dead rat is worth more than the body of a woman . '' `` It was an expression of how human rights violations against women are still the lowest on a fool 's hierarchy of war time horrors , '' she said . Sunday 's march was organized by the World March of Women in association with local women 's groups . Organizers hoped the march would combat the stigma attached to rape victims and draw international attention to the problem of rape as a war tactic . `` It 's just great to have so many women out on the streets , '' said Celia Alldridge , a representative from World March of Women . `` We believe that women should not be made prisoners in their own homes . '' Among throngs of marchers , many clad in bright traditional garb and carrying homemade signs , one Congolese marcher echoed that sentiment . `` I tell you , it 's a wonderful thing to see all the women together , just for one reason -- for the peace of the women of Congo , '' said Mary Georges . `` This is the freedom of the Congo women . '' Last month , a U.N. report slammed Congo 's security forces for failing to prevent a wave of mass rapes over several days during the summer . The preliminary report confirms the rape of at least 303 civilians between July 30 and August 2 in the Walikale region of Congo 's North Kivu province . The report points to serious shortcomings in the preparedness and response of the local detachments of the Congolese army and the police stationed in the area . It also notes that their failure to prevent or stop the attacks was compounded by subsequent failings on the part of U.N. stabilization mission forces in Congo . The report said the force had not received any specific training in the protection of civilians , and suffered from a number of operational constraints , including a limited capacity to gather information , as well as the lack of a telecommunications system in the area . `` The scale and viciousness of these mass rapes defy belief , '' said U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay . `` Even in the eastern part of DRC where rape has been a perennial and massive problem for the past 15 years , this incident stands out , '' Pillay said , `` because of the extraordinarily cold-blooded and systematic way in which it appears to have been planned and executed . ''
Rape is a weapon of war in North Kivu . U.N. has one rape victims just from march . The last year aims to combat a societal stigma attached to rape victims . Many women left hospital beds to join event .