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Boko Haram Escapees Shunned by Family, Communities: Report

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Women and girls kidnapped and raped by Boko Haram continue to suffer even after their escape because of mistrust and hostility from family and friends, a report said Tuesday, NBC News reported.

Thousands of Nigerians have been forced into a life of rape or involuntary marriage and some have been used as suicide bombers. But even for the rare few who escape, the misery is far from over, according to the report by UNICEF and London-based charity International Alert.

Many women who return to their families are viewed with deep suspicion, the report said, either because they are carrying the children of Boko Haram fighters or because their communities fear they may have been radicalized during captivity.

"Many of them are suffering from acute mental distress resulting from sexual, psychological and physical violence suffered in captivity," according to the report. "Yet, a significant proportion of them still face stigma and rejection from their communities."

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