Sexual and Gender-Based Violence - Essay Example

Role of Sexual and Gender based Violence (SGBV) in wars, and how Peace Processes can best address to it Institution: City and State: Date: Role of Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) in wars, and how Peace Processes can best address to it Sexual violence depicts deeds of a sexual nature that are imposed upon a person by force or coercion, where the victim can be a woman, man, transgendered individual, and even children. These acts are affiliated with fear of violence, detention, some form of psychological torture and incidences of abuse of power that come with conflicts. The coercive environment incapacitates the victim who cannot express genuine consent making her vulnerable to the situation. Sexual violence features a number of forms that could range from rape, forced sterilization, sexual slavery, induced miscarriages, forced prostitution and induced pregnancy. Therefore, it is sexual contacts without individuals consent to torture that involves the genitalia (ICRC, 2013). A couple of elements make some people more vulnerable to sexual violence than others. Gender, age and situation posed upon the victims, are some of these factors. Women have been found more vulnerable than men possibly due to their physicality and elements like biased cultures that exploit their vulnerability. Men and boys have been found vulnerable to the events of detention and seclusion. Sexual and gender-based violence comes with severe implications during and post the particular acts. Victims are physically harmed, are traumatized psychologically, and sustain sexually transmitted infections, and such scenarios result in death in some incidences. The survivors deal with stigmatization in the society and may experience rejection. Sexual and gender-based violence have been found to play a key role during wars in many parts of the society. There are established peace processes to address it. The world has witnessed combatants commit these injustices to vulnerable victims during armed conflict. Such incidences have been documented in the world featuring those in Syria, Rwanda, DRC Congo, Cambodia, Haiti, Bangladesh and many other places. Therefore, we can identify the role of these acts in wars and understand how well to address them. Media houses have reported massive rape crisis in Syria, an element that has illuminated the role of sexual violence during armed conflicts. The government forces in Syria have been documented as using rape as one of their military tactics to handle those communities that are affiliated with the rebels (Kerry Crawford, 2014). The act would instill fear in such communities and thus chose to withdraw their loyalty towards the rebel. The government is taking advantage of their vulnerability to suit its needs and agenda. The deeds are degrading to the victims and are committed by shameless individuals who are supposed to protect them. Those in power are using sexual violence against women and children in this context as a weapon. They abuse office and control bestowed upon them, as they harm, oppress and torture these individuals physically, emotionally and psychologically. Islamic State combatants in Iraq have been found to employ rape as weapons and arsenal of war to counter attack those who oppose them (Kerry Crawford, 2014). They take it as a shield for ethnic domination at a time when the whole of Iraq would attempt to overcome them. These acts committed against the victims to attain control over a region or section of a nation underscore the role of sexual violence in conflicts. Sexual violence against women have been used during armed conflicts to humiliate and degrade details (Reuters, 2012). The forces involved rape and abuse women sexually to humiliate their men who might be there to watch while detained. This creates a sense of helplessness and provokes the opponents to surrender and give in to the demands of the other side. This tool leaves the victims bruised physically and psychologically while some die in the process. Violence experienced throughout the Rwanda genocide was massive (Kerry Crawford, 2014). The sexual acts were mainly rape against women and Lisa Sharlach vividly describes them. They were rapes meant for death, to kill and have the victims wish for death, it would be a tool to provoke exile, induce the desire to leave one’s home, rapes that would shutter and destroy communities (Sharlach, 2000). Millions of women were raped, were genitally mutilated and some were killed. Armed militia, citizens, and even the Rwandan Presidential Guard were committing the atrocities against Tutsi women (Sharlach, 2000). This happened locally and internationally with the sole intention to destroy Tutsi ethnic community (Sharlach, 2000). Sexual violence was used as a tool to induce ethnic divisions at a time of conflict. This one community suffered in the hands of the militia and other forces as they attempted to eliminate it. It is evident in the context that gender-based sexual violence has been a common weapon during armed conflict. The war in Bosnia spared a clear insight that sexual violence is more of a basic tool during armed conflicts. There are documented cases of rapes committed against Bosniak by militia during this war. She sexual acts in this context targeted Muslim women illuminating it as a tool to create religious and ethnic divisions (Johan, 2005). The Bosnian forces used rape as a tool of terror to propagate their program of ethnic cleansing (Becirevic, 2014). They would subject women to physical and psychological torture to achieve their mission. The victims of sexual violence are prone to a great deal of implications as mentioned earlier including physical and psychological health consequences. There is a need to stop these vice immediately and at the same time protect the most vulnerable. Understanding the reasons and the consequences of sexual cogency would provide a platform to address this issue. The different gendered victims call for different attention in terms of prevention, protection, health care and raising public awareness. The world has a responsibility to initiate peace processes and make them effective. The United Nations Security Council has had some resolutions to address the impact of armed conflicts on vulnerable victims. Ladies and children suffer more during such conflicts. There is a need to safeguard women rights and address their vulnerability to sexually and gender-based violations in the event of armed conflicts. They would call for repatriation, rehabilitation and engagement in post-conflict reconstruction. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 offers a clear insight on how peace processes can turn more effective in responding to sexual and gender-based violence. There is a need to prevent sexual violence against all genders during a conflict by calling upon the partakers of such a conflict to be aware of sensitive victims of the vice in question. The states should work to address and end impunity for atrocities committed against humanity. The offenders should be brought to justice and persecuted. Some nations like Kenya were victims of armed conflict, and that has seen some individuals like the head of state facing lawsuits in the criminal court of justice. That would be an assurance to the survivors of such vices that justice is nigh. There is a need for disarmament and regulation of the way arms and weapons are distributed and handled (OSAGI, 2004). Women are more vulnerable to sexual violence, and their needs should be addressed sensitively. They should be allowed or better armed for protection if need be. Refugee settings should be well guarded to ensure that women and children are not vulnerable to armed militia. The camps should be better designed and administered appropriately. Involving more women in politics would help establish and implement better policies that help vulnerable individuals. Involving women in peace building and keeping would ensure that they foresee and address the needs of their kind first-hand. Documentation of the progress and presentation of reports to relevant authorities on sexual violence and the efficiency of peace processes implemented would shed some light on areas that need urgent attention (OSAGI, 2004). Sexual and gender-based violence has served as a weapon in many armed conflicts. It has had serious implications for victims leaving little to be desired. There is a need to have appropriate measures to address the problem and better the implemented peace processes. REFERENCES Becirevic, E., 2014. Genocide on the drina river. New York: Yale University Press. ICRC, I. C. o. t. R. C., 2013. Sexual violence in armed conflict. [Online] Available at: https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/faq/sexual-violence-questions-and-answers.htm [Accessed 6t Feb 2015]. Johan, V., 2005. Evil and human agency: Understanding collective evil doing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kerry Crawford, A. H. G. &. S. P., 2014. Wartime sexual violence is not just a ‘weapon of war’. [Online] Available at: ww.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/09/24/wartime-sexual-violence-is-not-just-a-weapon-of-war/ [Accessed 6th March 2015]. OSAGI, 2004. Landmark resolution on Women, Peace and Security. [Online] Available at: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/wps/#SG [Accessed 6th March 2015]. Reuters, 2012. Syrian Crisis: Security Forces Used Sexual Violence Against Men, Women, Children, Group says. [Online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/15/syria-crisis-sexual-violence_n_1599242.html [Accessed 6th March 2015]. Sharlach, L., 2000. Rape as genocide: Bangladesh, The former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. New Political science, Volume 1, p. 22. Read More