Sexual Violence During Wartime
Violence against women and men, especially rape, has added its own brand of shame to recent wars. From conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina to Peru to Rwanda, girls and women have been singled out for rape, imprisonment, torture, and execution, as documented by the United Nations. Systematic rape is often used as a weapon of war in ‘ethnic cleansing’.
This silent epidemic has gone on for too long, and for too long the victims are made to wear the burden of shame while the perpetrators walk free. Ending this epidemic is vital, and there are steps that can and should be put in place.