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aggie2010's review against another edition
5.0
Rape: Weapon of War and Genocide is a collection of essays dealing with the use of rape during genocide and war in the twenty-first century. The essays range from topics dealing with the evolution of the criminalization of rape in the legal sphere; the purpose of rape and how it is used as a form of genocide; the use of rape in countries such as Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guatemala; and the problematic issue of justice for survivors of sexual violence during conflict. I can honestly say that this was one of the most devastating, heartbreaking, difficult and important books I have ever read.
By reading this book I was able to learn more about how rape is used as a weapon of genocide. I was horrified to learn about the rape camps that were established in Yugoslavia and the ruthlessness of the army as they terrorized women. I also learned through the book that in Rwanda, women were repeatedly gang raped and often raped to death by the Interahamwe. They would rape the young and the old; their heartlessness had no limits. The brutality of their actions was incredibly difficult to read. The fact that they would stick the sharpened end of sticks into women, cut the women all over with knives and stuff food into their vaginas is unimaginable and absolutely deplorable. Pascasie Mukasakindi recalls her experience during the genocide. She states, "men raped me, one by one. Even the youngest ones in the group raped me, and they looked like they were no older than thirteen. Almost fifty men raped me in one day...After they were done raping me, they shoved a nailed club into my vagina...They tortured me in so many cruel ways..." In Guatemala, Mayan women were tortured, raped, mutilated and murdered in the most barbaric ways. At this very moment women in the DRC are being repeatedly raped and left with severe physical and emotional wounds. One woman laments that she was raped by three men until her womb fell out and two years later by five men leaving her with worse internal damage. Her husband left her because of the first rape- he believed her to be "contaminated"- and now she is struggling to provide for her children since she is doing it all on her own and weaker as a result of the rapes.
The survivors of sexual violence face many challenges and it is incredibly heartbreaking. The trauma they endured leaves the women feeling depressed, full of shame and fear, and suffering from nightmares. One author states that "a violated woman is considered 'damaged'" and is often "rejected by husbands and to varying degrees by family, friends, and villages." The situation of the women is made even more painful because "it is common for raped women to be victimized again, publicly by individuals who hurl taunts and insulting remarks at them or privately by husbands who shame them with verbal and sometimes physical abuse."
Reading about the atrocities inflicted on women, I once again struggled with the "why" of it all. What is the purpose of such deliberate cruelty? Various essays in the book gave me insight into the "why" of it.
I really liked that at the end of each chapter, there were suggestions for further readings and a list of references at the end of the book for those who would like to do more research on this topic. I also liked that some of the chapters included ways ordinary people can take action to put an end to sexual violence being committed today. I have already conducted my own research based on those references and am learning so much. I plan to seek ways to take action thanks to this book.
I highly highly recommend this book. It is a very difficult read but so important for us to learn the truth and take action.
By reading this book I was able to learn more about how rape is used as a weapon of genocide. I was horrified to learn about the rape camps that were established in Yugoslavia and the ruthlessness of the army as they terrorized women. I also learned through the book that in Rwanda, women were repeatedly gang raped and often raped to death by the Interahamwe. They would rape the young and the old; their heartlessness had no limits. The brutality of their actions was incredibly difficult to read. The fact that they would stick the sharpened end of sticks into women, cut the women all over with knives and stuff food into their vaginas is unimaginable and absolutely deplorable. Pascasie Mukasakindi recalls her experience during the genocide. She states, "men raped me, one by one. Even the youngest ones in the group raped me, and they looked like they were no older than thirteen. Almost fifty men raped me in one day...After they were done raping me, they shoved a nailed club into my vagina...They tortured me in so many cruel ways..." In Guatemala, Mayan women were tortured, raped, mutilated and murdered in the most barbaric ways. At this very moment women in the DRC are being repeatedly raped and left with severe physical and emotional wounds. One woman laments that she was raped by three men until her womb fell out and two years later by five men leaving her with worse internal damage. Her husband left her because of the first rape- he believed her to be "contaminated"- and now she is struggling to provide for her children since she is doing it all on her own and weaker as a result of the rapes.
The survivors of sexual violence face many challenges and it is incredibly heartbreaking. The trauma they endured leaves the women feeling depressed, full of shame and fear, and suffering from nightmares. One author states that "a violated woman is considered 'damaged'" and is often "rejected by husbands and to varying degrees by family, friends, and villages." The situation of the women is made even more painful because "it is common for raped women to be victimized again, publicly by individuals who hurl taunts and insulting remarks at them or privately by husbands who shame them with verbal and sometimes physical abuse."
Reading about the atrocities inflicted on women, I once again struggled with the "why" of it all. What is the purpose of such deliberate cruelty? Various essays in the book gave me insight into the "why" of it.
I really liked that at the end of each chapter, there were suggestions for further readings and a list of references at the end of the book for those who would like to do more research on this topic. I also liked that some of the chapters included ways ordinary people can take action to put an end to sexual violence being committed today. I have already conducted my own research based on those references and am learning so much. I plan to seek ways to take action thanks to this book.
I highly highly recommend this book. It is a very difficult read but so important for us to learn the truth and take action.
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