Genocide and Sexual Violence Essay

The Bosnia, Rwanda, and Nazi Ger many a(prenominal) check Genocide is defined in international law as acts which hold moxie the intention of undoing in whole or in part, a national, culturalal, racial or religious group . . . (Genocide Watch, n. d. ). Mass killings own been one of the roughly contr everywheresial events in the world. This incident even plays a more weighty part in the historical experience of those countries which undergone it. When the appraisal of go murder is macrocosm discussed it is always associated with different forms of delirium. One of its intimately prevalent forms is knowledgeable strength against women.Sexual furiousness is the most common act by which women ar degraded and violated. Referring to internal delirium does not but if connote the approximation of misdemeanor. transgress macrocosm the process of forced penetration of the extremity or any foreign aim inside the anus or the vagina, or placing the penis inside the m outh. Sexual frenzy as healthful as includes separate related knowledgeable crimes like prostitution, internal slavery, forced saturation, mutilations, and other identical practices (West, 2005). Employing sexual military unit especi all(prenominal)y rape, aids conflicting parties to achieved their relishd outcomes or objectives.Its negative affable effects help in accomplishing the primary goal bottomland the mood of violence. The main reason why violence exists is to make sure that coexistence would not continue and rape is considered to be a more indicantful tool than murder that could obtained this dismiss (West, 2005). Being the case, sexual violence is utilized as a tool of genocide because of the social disgrace that it brings. This holds true in countries that gives importance to the theme of virginity and chastity because these symbolizes keep not only for the women save withal for her family.Sexual violence degrades both the women and also the men bec ause if such act took place it gives the idea that men be not arduous enough to defend their women (Chenoy, 1997). In connection to that, the process of ethnic purgatorial would become easier because these ab employ women would be forced to leave their home and run away to other aras. Such acts of violence atomic number 18 done to induced villainy coming from the members of the targeted group towarf atomic number 18ds their enemies so that they would no longer come back (West, 2005). However, there be instances that opportunistic sexual violence takes place.This kind of sexual crime is done based simply on the individual desire of the treatr. During times of conflict, tough acts escalate because there are no foreseen penalties or consequences in doing such. plainly this is not always the case especially in a more organized government or regime. In a more centrally organized and powerful state this kinds of crime are not seen as an instrument to inflict terror and humil iation towards the confrontation but simply an individual taking advantage of the situation in articulate to fulfill ones aggressive sexual wants (West, 2005).The Bosnian Experience The end of the Soviet Union has brought significant changes in the structure and alignment of the region. The solvent of independence of states coming from the Eastern bloc started their animosity against each other. Slovenia and Croatia tell independence in July 1991 that brought war between Croatia and Yugoslav state as strong as slight conflict between Yugoslavia and Slovenia. During the betimes part of 1992, Bosnia-Herzegovina achieved independence, this event culminated in a civil war against the Serbs, Croats, and the Muslims in Bosnia.The war lasted for several years, which is characterized by various forms of atrocities (Weitsman, 2006). One of the most disturbing forms of atrocities in the former Yugoslavia was the sexual violence inflicted upon Bosnian Muslim women by the Serb militias. Rape camps were created wherein women are segregated and raped everyday for months. Rape is not only the form of sexual violence that these women soak up to endure but also forced impregnation and maternity.Based on the Final report of the united Nations Commission of Experts established pursuant to security council resolution 789 (1992), the former Yugoslavia has 162 wait sites wherein bulk were sexually abused. Bosnian Muslim women were repeatedly raped by various men and then they murdered them or detained them to become sexual slaves. Some women were even raped by 40 men in one night while other were gang raped. Mass rape and forced impregnation is utilized as a outline in the policy of Serb authorities.Serbs denies such kind of allegations but the identical ways by which the rape camps were established as rise up as the pattern of sexual abuse tend to proved otherwise. The mass sexual abuses of women as well as men have the primary goal of shaming, degrading, torturing, a nd violating their victims. Forced impregnation of women was also done with the intent that the publication will live because the Serbs considered such as their primary goal. This is further proven by the accounts of women who experienced being held in rape camps.They narrated that they were impregnated and detained until such a time where abortion is no longer possible (Weitsman, 2006). Scholars and experts of international politics analyzed that sexual violence such as mass rape, forced impregnation, and forced maternity were strategies utilise by the Serbs in order to accomplish their objective of ethnic ablutionary and even genocide. Forcing women to bear children connotes the idea they want the offspring to acquire the psycheal identity of the rapists being paternally derived and thus, disconnect whatever attachment it might have from the mother.In doing so, the Serbs deem that they succeeded in their idea of ethnic cleansing because they are putting a stop to the propagat ion of the culture and genes of the Bosnians. The identities of the father are commonly unknown because of cases wherein a woman impregnated has been raped by many men. In such cases, the identity of these children as genocidal babies or little chetniks mum continues because it is reinforced by the media and their community. The identity of the babies is already constructed in such a way that they would forever be linked to their Serbian fathers (Weitsman, 2006).The Rwandan Genocide The genocide that happened in Rwanda is a product of ethnic hatreds and rivalries that is rooted in the early parts of this countrys history. The animosity among the deuce ethnic groups in the country, namely the Hutus and Tutsis goes a long way. During the pre-colonial era these two ethnic groups recognise the distinctiveness that they have from each other in terms of economical status, occupation as well as slight variations in their carnal appearance. Despite such differences no conflicts were m anifest in these groups.However, the European colonizers show the distinctness of these ethnic groups based on biological overlordity. Europeans allocated more power, authority, and privileges over to the Tutsis due to their tall built and angular showcases, which is said to make them lord in the racial hierarchy (West, 2005). The Belgians established a democratic insertion in the country that attributed more power to the persistent Hutus. This event started the latent hostility between these two groups that resulted for the Tutsis to flee towards neighboring countries.Animosity between the groups escalated as Hutu extremists continue to perceive the other ethnic group as a Tutsi Threat. The situation is further worsen by the violent acts of the Rwandan superpatriotic Front (RPF). Hutu extremists were greatly concerned with the threat posed by the Tutsis that they clear-cut to create a policy of genocidal mass killing. They deem that the be intimate eradication of the Tuts is is the only way possible to solved this insecurity that they felt because other marrow are ineffective like the deportation of Tutsis to other countries, which they reckon would only allow the continuation of the problem (West, 2005).The government was responsible to most of the violent attacks that happened, which intensified the regaining of terror among civilians. It is also because of fear that the civilians learn to act violently in order to defend themselves (West, 2005). Furthermore, Hutu extremists also used propaganda through the media in order to instil the hatred that the Hutu civilians must feel against the Tutsis. They also make sure that they degrade the Tutsi women by describing them as object of sexual desire (Weitsman, 2006). The participation of the civilians is needed in order for the complete annihilation of the Tutsis to be possible.During the mass killings, many women were kidnapped by their perpetrators and were raped, shamed, and left to conk of depre ssion they did such because it contributes in the humiliation of the Tutsi culture. Sexual violence in this case is a means to deconstruct the Tutsi group of their spirit, willingness to move on and their very idea of life. Violent attacks were experienced by men and women of all ages but the women were greatly susceptible to it because of their gender and ethnicity (West, 2005). Basically, there are two purposes why sexual violence is diligent.First, it is utilized in order to destroy the Tutsi race. The women symbolize their ethnicity and by raping, shaming, and lowering their morale they also destroys their ethnic group. cause of sexual violence also humiliate their families and community. Using sexual violence invoked contacts of fear and humiliation that the Hutus believe would helped in the annihilation of the Tutsis. Second, it makes ethnic power inversion possible. Inflicting harm invokes hatred and a sense of revenge among the Tutsis. This feeling of vengeance only adds to their idea of the Tutsi Threat (West, 2005).The Nazi Germany The genocide that happened in the history of Germany is grounded in the idea that Germans or the Aryan race are the most racially pure and sophisticated people making them superior as compared to other races. Adolf Hitler make sure that the superiority of their race continues by first, eliminating the physically unfit members of the Aryan race like the handicapped and the mentally ill. Afterwards, he proceeded in annihilating the Jewish population, which he perceived as the greatest threat to their race.He disseminates the idea that the Jews are dirty and they are trying to infiltrate and destroy their superiority. Furthermore, he also accused that the Jews have connection in the Bolshevism of Russia and Stalins Communism. He succeeded in counterpane the feeling of hatred among the Aryan race towards the Jews through propaganda in posters, newspapers, and radio receiver reports. Basically, the perception that Jews are inferior and their connection to Bolshevism led to the windup that the only way to save the Aryan race as well as the entire Europe is through the elimination of the Jewish race (West, 2005).Unlike the case of Bosnia and Rwanda, there was very stripped practiced of sexual violence before and during the Holocaust in Germany. It is interesting to note that condescension the long periods of incarceration that Jewish women spent in the constriction camps, they were not sexually abuse. Some reports of sexual crimes were more individualistic in genius as compared with the Rwandan and Bosnian experienced of mass raped. Sexual violence was only limited among Germans that hold high position in authority who are often left in charge making it opportunistic in nature.However, there are also instances that women are humiliated inside concentration camps. This is when they are forced to stand naked, be shaven, searched and experienced invasive medical examination tests. They also undergone psychological fear as soldiers would threaten them of sexual violence. But this merely becomes psychological means to infused terror because there are rarely cases of rape inside the concentration camps (West, 2005). Sexual violence was not employed during the genocide in Germany because of several factors. First, the strong and radical belief of the Nazis well-nigh their race.Their belief in the preservation of the purity of their race entails with it policies that prohibits them in zesty in sexual practices with inferior races as it is seen as dirty and they condemned the training of Jewish people. This is proven by incidents wherein pregnant Jewish women are immediately killed. Second, Nazis have a very check military that strictly obeyed the rules of their superiors as well as the ideology of their race. Being the case, they would not subject themselves in acts of sexual violence as this is prohibited in their laws and beliefs.Lastly, their strong stratified state which a ssures that the codes of conduct and laws are followed by the military as well as the civilian members of their population (West, 2005). This served as the strong foundation that holds the people belonging in the Aryan race to act accordingly with regards to their beliefs and objectives. Similarities and Differences The ethnic cleansing and genocide that happened in these three countries have its similarities and differences in terms of how the conflict escalated the usage of sexual violence, as well as their reasons in employing or not employing these violent acts.Bosnia, Rwanda, and Germanys genocide are similar in the fact that it involves the leadership of governmental elites who devised ways in order to heighten the feeling of animosity among conflicting parties. In the case of Bosnia, the Serbs made a policy that created numerous rape camps that will aid in the rape and impregnation of women. Rwanda also employed a similar strategy by including the citizens to further aggrava te the conflict that is taking place. They propagate the idea of Tutsi threat so that Hutu civilians would participate in the annihilation of the Tutsis.The strong political leadership of the Nazis also reinforced the superiority of the Aryan race and they created the idea of the Jews being a threat to their superiority in order to unfreeze their actions of mass killings. Moreover, all of them used propaganda by means of the media to influence the sound judgment of their fellow citizens and eventually aid them in their desired objectives. This is exactly what happened in Rwanda when they announced the Tutsi threat together with their perception of Tutsi women as sexual objects in their radio stations and newspapers.Similarly, the media also aided in propagating the idea that the offsprings of the impregnated Bosnian Muslim women are little chetniks which heightened the stigma that these childrens identities would be forever linked to their fathers who are responsible for such viol ent act. Nazi Germany is also no different as they strengthened the idea of the Aryan races superiority and the threat the Jewish oblige upon this dominion through the same method as the two aforesaid(prenominal) incidents.The differences they have are focused on their idea of what sexual violence is and what are its effects to the ends that they are fighting for. In the genocide that happened in Rwanda they employed sexual violence as a means to humiliate and violate not only the women that they raped and their families but also their communities as well. The reason for such course of action is the high regards given to the honor of women because she symbolizes the very ethnicity of her race. Destroying her morale is also synonymous to the destruction of the race she symbolizes.In contrast, even though Bosnia practiced the same mass rape as Rwanda their perception towards it is different. Rwanda used sexual violence as a means to destroy the ethnic race by humiliation unlike in Bo snia wherein sexual violence is considered more as an after effect of their actions of ethnic cleansing. Their forced impregnation of women in their process of genocide was utilized in order to create little chetniks or offspring that would increase the Serbian race. The most unlikely among these three cases of genocide is the Nazi Germany experience.Sexual violence is not utilized by the Nazis to propagate mass destruction of the Jewish race. There are only minimal incidents of rape during those times and it was caused by opportunistic reasons rather than a method of ethnic cleansing. The rationale behind such incident is the fact that Nazis have a more disciplined military and strong hierarchal structure. In an organized government like the Nazi regime violent acts such as sexual abuse is not as rampant as compared to Bosnia and Rwanda because perpetrators are sure to face the consequences and penalties of their actions.Furthermore, a disciplined military would not adhere to sexua l mismanage because of the fear of being punish by their superiors as well as their high regards to their beliefs. Sexual violence is indeed commonly used in most cases of genocide. Contrary to this usual practice there have also been instances wherein mass killings took placed but there are very minimal reports of sexual violence. In such cases, sexual violence was not perceived as an instrument in order to accomplish the goals of the perpetrators.This kind of observable discrepancy among the employment of sexual violence could be attributed to the idea that this conceit is still very subjective. Its meaning, practice, and usage tend to vary from one person to another and in this case from one race from the other.References Chenoy, A. (1997). Demystifying Terrorism a War Against Terror & The Terror Of War, US Hegemony & Militarism. ARENA. Genocide Watch. (n. d. ). What is Genocide? Retrieved 22 May 2008, from http//www. genocidewatch. org/aboutgenocide/whatisit. html.