Abstract
The use of rape as a strategic weapon of war dates back to ancient times. In the modern world, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) continues to be used for political gains as a tool of genocide and torture to intimidate, demoralize rivals, and break resistance. The survivors of violence and children born from rape often face health problems, PTSD, stigmatization, and social isolation. This chapter provides background information on the prevalence of SGBV, its contributing factors, and its consequences, specifically focusing on women, men, child soldiers, and refugees. It reviews the efforts that the international community undertakes to put an end to this heinous crime against humanity. This includes developing policy and international law, pursuing accountability for the perpetrators, and establishing supports for the survivors. Understanding the lifelong health, psychological, and social impacts of war rape allows for the development of mental health and psychosocial supports (MHPSS) and promising practices aimed at facilitating psychological recovery and community reintegration of the survivors. The chapter calls to scale up the trauma-informed care for refugees who are resettled in the USA. This chapter describes emerging controversies and identifies prioritized directions in supporting survivors of SGBV.
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Abbreviations
- DRC:
-
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- IASC:
-
Inter-Agency Standing Committee
- INGO:
-
International nongovernmental organization
- MHPSS:
-
Mental health and psychosocial supports
- PTSD:
-
Post-traumatic stress disorder
- SGBV:
-
Sexual and gender-based violence
- STI:
-
Sexually transmitted infection
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Cherepanov, E. (2022). Sexual and Gender-Based Violence as Warfare. In: Geffner, R., White, J.W., Hamberger, L.K., Rosenbaum, A., Vaughan-Eden, V., Vieth, V.I. (eds) Handbook of Interpersonal Violence and Abuse Across the Lifespan. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89999-2_106
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