Rape in Conflict Zones

Rape in conflict zones is a weapon of war that is used to degrade, humiliate, and dehumanize civilian populations. History demonstrates that sexual violence during times of war is not a new phenomenon. However, the recent conflicts in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Darfur, Liberia, and other parts of the world have brought increasing attention to the ways in which rape is used as a weapon of terror and, consequently, represents a barrier to peace.

During times of conflict, some military leaders encourage the use of sexual violence as a military strategy intended to increase the morale of troops, to demoralize the enemy, and to lay claim to the “spoils of war” (in this case, the women of the enemy). Although rape is the most common form of such violence, other forms may include forced prostitution, sexual slavery, forced sterilization, and forced impregnation. Perpetrators are typically armed military personnel; however, it is not uncommon for enemy civilians and even those charged with protecting and providing aid to civilian populations to commit rape during times of war. Women and girls are most often the victims—although men and boys may also be affected, particularly those who are prisoners of war—and targeted [Page 1213]not only because they are female but often because of their race, ethnicity, or religious affiliation.

Rape may be committed by an individual or by groups (gang rape). It may involve vaginal or anal intercourse; it may also involve the use of objects such as guns, knives, sticks, bottles, or pipes. It is common for a woman to be raped in front of family members or members of her community as a means of terrorizing both the woman herself and those forced to witness the rape. After raping a woman, and in an effort to inflict as much physical damage as possible, some perpetrators will discharge a gun into the woman's vagina. Perpetrators may also kill victims after raping them. Some rapes are committed with the express intent of impregnating victims (who then may be forced to continue the pregnancy to term) or infecting them with HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. Rape victims in conflict zones range in age and may include infants, adolescents, adult women, and the elderly. Victims suffer physical and psychological harm, both immediately and long term. They are often stigmatized within their communities and punished for adultery or for having sexual relations outside of marriage. Perpetrators are rarely brought to trial or punished.

International bodies (such as the United Nations) and nongovernmental organizations have attempted to address the issue of rape in conflict zones in a variety of ways. Key strategies include prevention, increasing awareness, providing additional support and services for victims, and strengthening laws in an attempt to bring perpetrators to justice. Such efforts have helped to draw attention to sexual violence as a war crime, a threat to security, a form of torture, and an act of genocide. Still, the cultural stigma and silence that continues to surround rape and other forms of sexual violence has meant that such efforts have had limited effect.

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