From Home to Frontline: A Comparative Exploration of Sexual Violence

This paper attempts to explore the intersectionality of domestic, social and wartime sexual violence, examining how gendered power dynamics and societal norms impact these acts of violence. Gender-based violence is deeply rooted in the pervasive system of inequality that asserts the domination of males and the subordination of females. Rape and sexual exploitation remain a reality for countless women and children. While domestic sexual violence is often rooted in issues of dominance and personal gratification, Wartime rape is employed as a strategic weapon to terrorize, subjugate and dehumanize enemy combatants and civilians. Sexual violence during armed conflicts not only causes physiological and psychological trauma for the victim but also causes major social, cultural and global repercussions. By analysing Sara Meger’s Rape, Loot, Pillage, this paper investigates specific ways in which rape is used as a tool of war. Citing instances from notable armed conflicts from around the world, this paper probes the systematic perpetration of various forms of sexual violence with an intent to punish, mortify or eliminate certain ethnic groups. Though Rape is considered to be a heinous war crime and a crime against humanity, prosecution of offenders is challenging. Ultimately, this research aims to illuminate the continuum of sexual violence, highlighting the ways in which domestic and wartime contexts intersect and diverge.

Keywords: Sexual Violence, Gender, Power dynamics, Systematic injustice, War