“I Am Not Who They Think I Am" tells the story of Janet and Stella, two women from northern Uganda who were abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army when they were teenagers and who bore children while in captivity. After eight years as hostages of Joseph Kony’s army, they escaped the bush—together with their children—and are trying to reintegrate back into society in Gulu, while facing stigma and rejection from their community.
From Uganda to Iraq, Nigeria to Colombia, the long-term consequences of wartime sexual violence—especially for children born as a result of it—are often overlooked by governments, internationals and the media. Through this film, we hope to catalyze a discussion on redress for these vulnerable groups and the role of film in justice activism.
I Am Not Who They Think I Am is part of a broad research project started by ICTJ in Uganda in 2015, highlighting why redress is essential to restore the rights of women victims of sexual violence during conflict and secure a future for their children born as a consequence of war. You can read about its outcomes in the report "From Rejection to Redress: Overcoming Legacies of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Northern Uganda."
Visit a photo gallery presenting a selection of their drawings in which children born of conflict share their thoughts on how the communities perceive them, how they see themselves and their hopes for the future.
