Rape in War and Peace: Some Thoughts on Social Context and Gender Roles

In this article, the author argues that for those wishing to challenge the values and practices which sanction violence against women, a crucial task is to carefully examine the social context in which sexual violence is perpetrated. The concentrated and predominantly public nature of violence in war makes it easier to mobilise moral outrage at rape in the context of war, than to challenge the everyday sexual violence that is enacted in situations of in-peace.