Originally published on the CGS blog on June 16, 2014.
“It is a myth that rape is an inevitable part of conflict. There’s nothing inevitable about it. It is a weapon of war aimed at civilians. It has nothing to do with sex, everything to do with power.”
With this statement, Angelina Jolie, co-chairing with Foreign Secretary William Hauge, kicked off the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict on Tuesday in London, the first of its kind. In attendance are representatives from over 100 countries, experts in the fields, faith leaders, survivors, and NGO and international organization representatives.
The issue of sexual violence is not a new topic in the US, as sexual assault, particularly on college campuses, is at the forefront of policy action. The importance of the international community to use political will to end sexual violence in the world’s current conflicts is paramount.
Human Rights Watch recently documented cases of sexual abuse in many current conflicts including those in Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea, Libya, Somalia, Sri Lanka, and Syria. This report doesn’t even include the recent discovery of sexual abuse happening in South Sudan right under UN peacekeepers’ noses. Even worse, allegations in South Sudan have been made against government soldiers and rebel forces.
The four main goals for the summit are:
- ending the culture of impunity by agreeing on an international protocol for documenting and investigating sexual violence in conflict zones;
- taking practical steps to protect women, including by training soldiers and peacekeepers;
- increasing support for survivors and human rights activists; and
- achieving a “seismic shift” in attitudes so that the problem is recognized and tackled globally.
Jolie made a clear distinction between sexual violence in conflict areas and here in the developed nations–that we live in a “safer” environment. While there are many problems with how rape is handled in developed countries like the US, women in war zones do not even have the option of seeking justice. During times of conflict, rape is seen as inevitable and the perpetrators are accepted and even protected by society; this is part of what the Summit wishes to change.
“Warzone rape is a crime that thrives on silence and denial.”
Because of the taboo nature of sex crimes, many victims are forced to remain silent, leading to feelings of worthlessness and shame. In order to change the stigma, there needs to be a political will to train peacekeepers and police forces in sexual violence treatment and prevention.
To groups like Amnesty International, sexual violence in conflict is another part of the “War on Women.” They say that even though this has been going on for centuries, sometimes its occurrence in other places more easily elicits outrage. And that seems to be true, given the attention this summit has gotten. What may also be shocking is the fact that not only are women at risk: UNICEF estimates that 150 million girls and 73 million boys experience sexual violence every year.
The summit is a great step in the direction of protecting women and children around the world. However, its goals cannot be achieved without a coordinated global effort that includes governments, human rights NGOS, and international organizations. These forces must cooperate to address the root problem of gender inequality that persists even in this day and age.
Now is the time to act. After all, rape in conflict is a war crime and a crime against humanity. This cannot be tolerated.
