Rape As A Weapon Of War
MICHAEL J BLAIR
Perthshire, Scotland
Do men of all races fear the power of women?
A question I was asked recently.
This question was specifically aimed at the use of rape as a weapon of war.
I had no experience in this vile type of behaviour and although I knew of its existence, I had never considered it in any great detail.
Having had my mind kicked off with the question, I had to have a long think about reasons why this was used.
Firstly, there is the most obvious reason. Sexual gratification. This is an age old reason and no less disgusting.
Then there is the whole, power over another person reason.
This is the kind of behaviour which is prevalent in most societies.
This is something more shocking if it is used to terrorise the people into doing what others want.
There is also the question of whether the act of rape is out of fear of the power women have and have always had.
In some societies, women are treated as being inferior to men.
Is this just another way of limiting women’s influence on society in general?
War is ugly and disgusting enough without the violation of thousands of women and children.
This is something so far beyond the imagination of the average human being, it is rarely spoken about.
I remember reading of Russian troops mass raping German women and girls when they took Berlin at the end of the second world war, and thinking how could this happen?
But of course, war itself is something we cannot really imagine, so atrocities like mass rape are just some distant event with which we have no emotional connection.
Apparently, this type of brutal intimidation has been around for a long time. We have heard of the Vikings and stories of rape and pillage. But as far as I can gather, this was not about intimidation, but more about the spoils of war. Some kind of warped reward for winning a battle. Possibly similar behaviour to the Russian troops in Germany in 1945.
The use of rape as a specific weapon of war, is different. This is coldly calculated by the perpetrators to strike the worst fear into the families of the enemy!
Even in the USA, rape was used by the US cavalry in the “Indian” wars in the 19th century. Possibly in revenge for deaths of soldiers and settlers by some of the tribes defending their own territory.
Whatever the reason, it is another example of rape as a weapon of war.
This is something which has happened worldwide and continues to go on, despite being condemned by groups like Amnesty International.
No civilised society or civilised human being should ever turn a blind eye to this inhumane behaviour. To do so is an abandonment of all morality.
Rape in a civil war is often used to weaken and dilute the ethnic population of a territory to the advantage of the opposing army.
What kind of mind thinks this is some legitimate way of gaining an advantage?
Is this just another example of men’s disdain for women, or is it more sinister?
Do men in power fear women so much, that in some cultures they use rape as a way of protecting their own status in their communities?
Whatever the reason, the fact that it happens at all, is a filthy stain on the leaders who condone this atrocity!
Very rarely are the perpetrators brought to justice, mainly because the victims are too frightened to come forward and name these monsters!
This has to change!
All those who have allowed this to happen, be they soldiers or politicians, have to be brought to justice by any means possible, prosecuted and jailed for life!
Follow The Party of Common Sense on Twitter, at @tpocs
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Michael J Blair contributes political analysis to DDA, and he can be reached at: michaelblair43@googlemail.com. His Twitter handle is: @mmjblair
[Photo of rape victims from the Congo courtesy of L. Werchick / USAID; Wikimedia Commons]
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