War Rape: New Conceptualizations and Responses

Abstract

This article presents new conceptualizations of war rape in international law and defines rape as a weapon and strategy of war. It also outlines the intersections of gender, patriarchy, militarism, and ethnic, religious, and political identities that fuel war rape as part of a continuum of violence against women. Local and transnational examples of women’s responses to war rape demonstrate their importance to survivors, practitioners, and policy makers who seek to address its causes and effects. Finally, the article challenges feminist social workers to address the dynamics of war rape within the complex nexus of policies that fuel conflict.