Wartime rape
Early in history, warring parties would use rape to punish and also destroy the populations. Sexual violence is subjected in various forms such as cases where terrorists and other rebellious groups would use sexual abuse in to achieve their goals and also examples of army commanders would reward their soldiers by letting them, rape women and girls. During wartime, sexual violence would take place in public, and various attackers would conduct it, and the victims would be attacked with multiple objects (Henry 2016). Forms of sexual violence include engaging in forced prostitution activities, engaging in sexual activities during slavery and also being tortured sexually. Both men and women are victims of forced sex during war. Internationally, sexual violence during conflict is termed as a crime when the primary intention is the destruction of a population. Rwandan genocide is good evidence that continued sexual abuse can amount to genocide.
Primary reasons as to why rape is used a weapon during the war was to make the victims fear their authorities, through this member of the community would be humiliated and even forced to evict from their lands. Wartime rape would also destabilize societies, and in return, their cohesion would be destroyed. This would happen in cases such as when children are forced to rape their parents or when community elders are raped in public. In cases where the oppressors wanted to enquire certain information from the members of a community, there would be sexual violence towards those who had been detained. Sexual abuse would also be used as a weapon to attack a specific lineage either by sterilisation or even impregnating women. Terrorists also use sexual assault to help them in achieving their goals, such as selling of the women to raise funds. Terrorists also attract other fighters through sexual slavery.
Sexual violence has become a widespread matter worldwide. Sexual assault among the females is well known, and it has become well established, but male sexual assault gets little or no attention at all. In the current world, the authorities have gone an extra mile in the creation of awareness on the matter of sexual assault among the males. Research has been conducted concerning how males are sexually assaulted for cases to do with children. Oppressors instil sexual violence to humiliate the men and also degrade them. Most countries have continued to ignore the issue of rape among the males as compared to females. Sexual abuse among the men is always thought to happen in the communities and also in the prisons. Perpetrators, in most cases used to rape men in their anal system, they would even rape them by use of objects and to some extent, they would also make their fellow victims rape each other.
Myths about rape have helped in sustaining sexual violence. In most cases, men are believed to be healthy, and hence they should be able to fight their oppressor. Some myths, such as men cannot be raped unrealistic (Schulze et al. 2019). The reality is that men can be sexually harassed no matter their age, strengths and appearances. Most people also believe that rape only happens to women.
Another thing is that only men who engage in gay activities can be sexually assaulted, but then all men can be raped since rape in any forced sexual activity. Other people believe that gay men are the ones responsible for assaulting their fellow men. It is also believed that women cannot assault men sexually. In reality, women are capable of attacking men for instances such as older women engaging young men in sexual activities. Others believe that when there is ejaculation and erection, a man is consented to engaging in sexual activities. Still, the reality is, an erection takes place when the prostrate is manipulated.
Believes that rapists are strangers, but the reality is that rape can come from a most trusted person. Also, they believe that sexual assaults can only happen in prisons; most people are raped while in prison, but people should also understand that sexual assaults happen even outside prisons. Other people also believe that people who engage in sexual activities have a damaged life, but the truth is people who have gone through such assault have a better chance of leading better lives in the future. Myths bring more trouble in the lives of the victims since most men cannot easily share their experiences of sexual assault, men who have suffered sexual assault fear to report their issues to the relevant authorities. It is also challenging to find support after sexual harassment. People are advised to rule out the myths so that people can be in a position to speak up sexual violence.
Gender-based violence and violence against women
Gender-based violence mostly affects women and young girls through ways such as being engaged in early marriages, cases of female genital mutilation and also human trafficking. Gender-based violence in situations where children are exposed to violence due to stereotypes and also given specific responsibilities which are based on their gender identities (NgocTran et al. 2019, September). According to the world health organisation, gender-based violation is an epidemic that has led to a breach of human rights. Violence can either be through sexual, emotional and also psychological abuse. The primary reason why gender violence has increased is because it still exists in some communities. Cultures have accepted norms that encourage gender violence. Gender violence is more prevalent to the women who are facing poverty, females living in rural communities, women and girls with disabilities.
Gender-based violence is also encountered by women who advocate for gender equality and about the social and cultural issues affecting the women. To bring gender-based violence to an end, action has to be taken to bring to an end the norms that encourage gender violence; the legislation also has to be strengthened so as punish the criminal activities, finally, those that advocate violence should be prosecuted under the law. Teaching children about gender violation in schools can also help fight violence against children. Community dialogues also help in fighting the attitudes that advocate for gender-based violence. Sex assignment is the assigning of sex to hermaphrodites during birth. Gender assignment should not be confused with gender itself since one cannot rule out whether the person is male or female. Gender roles indicate the specific ways a particular gender should dress and even conduct themselves. Violence against women is a well-known cause of death among the women.
Intimate partner violence is a severe form of gender violence facing the women who are living with their partners, and it may also be subjected by their ex-partners (Roberts 2018). Inmate violence includes physical, sexual and psychological abuse which is usually caused by their spouse. Women who suffer intimate partner violence can be identified with their poor health. Some more characteristics of women suffering intimate partner violence are such as stress disorders, some women also go to the extent of committing suicide, increased cases of women suffering from depression and finally most women engage in drug and substance abuse which in the end affects their overall health. Physical violence is the leading dorm of intimate partner violence where women are either struck with objects, chocked or even threatened with objects which put their lives at risk. Sexual abuse is instances where a person is forced to participate in sex without their consent. Stalking is whereby insecure attention is given by a person who is a threat to the victim. Psychological violence is the use of specific communications to harm the other person.
Intimate partner violence can be prevented through various ways. When developing relationships, people should ensure that the links are based on respect and non-violence grounds. Communities should also help in ensuring that there are no violent relationships and also help those that may be suffering in such relationships. Some of the strategies that will help in stopping the intimate partner violence’s are such as teaching people the skills they will use for safe and healthy relationships; people should also engage influential persons to manage disorder in their families. Disruption of pathways that lead to intimate partner violence is also a key strategy. People should also be in a position to come up with some protective environment such s workplaces. Ensuring that the economy of the family is healthy is also a way of preventing intimate partner violence. Finally, the survivors of intimate partner violence should be protected in ways such as coming up with housing programs and also providing proper treatment for such people.
History and Intersectionality
Gender-based violence as a long history since ancient time’s abuse has been there and is still there in some communities (Cook et al. 2018). Violence has always aimed at controlling the women for purposes of superiority and the need to gain a title by the perpetrators. One out of three women globally has suffered violence in various ways. Violence has several categories which include abuse by individuals and destruction by the state. Cases of individual violence include pouring acid on the person, rape cases, forced marriages, female genital mutilation, among others. Disorder that is caused by the state consists of rape during war, women were also forced to perform abortions, and the state can also sterilize people against their will and finally brutality by the policemen and the soldiers. Other forms include women trafficking. History on gender violence is difficult to track because many cases dealing with violence against women have not been followed. It can be related to how communities viewed women as property, and thus they were subjected to be submissive. In many regions of the world, women are exposed to violence. Early in the 1870’s courts in the United States dropped the common law which gave the husband punish a woman. United Kingdom also abolished the right given to a man to inflict punishment into a woman to keep her bound to her duties in the year 1891.
Literature plays a significant role in understanding sexual assaults. Writing helps people to understand the trauma that may arise as a result of sexual assault. Young adults are encouraged to read more articles since they are the ones who are at risk of sexual violence. Literature also helps in delivering information to parents and children since they discuss sexual contexts. Literature and films can also give the readers ideas on how to escape violence one a perpetrator faces them. They also help readers in identifying the various forms of violence. Sexual stigma experienced in communities that homosexuality is disliked. Most societies believe that sexuality should only happen between people of different genders and not among those of the same gender. Homosexuality is the sexual relationship between people of the same gender, including gay and lesbians. Gays are men who are attracted to fellow men sexually. Lesbianism is the sexual attraction between women. Bisexuals are sexually attracted to both men and women.
In most cases, sexual and gender minorities are mostly exposed to sexual violence than any other populations in the society. Incorporation of analysis which considers race and sexuality to provide an understanding the lesbians, gay, bisexuals and transgender experiences of the anti-queer violence, is achieved in various ways. Research conducted in the previous times gave little attention to issues of race, class and gender. Study showed that black people were exposed to anti-queer violence as an implication of negative representation of the racial communities, and the whites were not exposed to such forms of violence. Lesbian of the white colour was self-sufficient with the challenge, but the black gay men felt weak to identify themselves as gay.
Child sexual abuse and pornography
Child sexual abuse is a child abuse involving sexual activities with a minor. Sexual abuse does not have to involve contact of the child with the perpetrator. Sexual abuse can happen through ways such as when a grown-up person exposes themselves to children, engaging in sexual activities in the presence of a child, sharing pornographic materials with a child, making obscene calls in the presence of a child and finally sex trafficking among many (Gangwar et al. 2017). Several signs are present when a child is experiencing sexual violence. Symptoms include bleeding and swelling of the genitals, difficulties while walking, pain in the genitals; a child can also show signs of stress and depression, a child can also become overprotective to younger kids, and they can also have nightmares and even trouble to concentrate in school.
Studies have used the concept of hegemonic masculinity while explaining the power men had over women. Hegemonic masculinity differs from various communities within the different social hierarchies. The idea also acknowledges men to show their aggressive and most violent behaviours, men are also allowed to show off their strengths and how tough the can be, men should also be competitive and finally the most dominant man is supposed to be heterosexual.
Heterosexuality is the sexual attraction of individuals of the opposite sex. As a male child grows, his understanding of masculinity is enhanced by how he socializes where family is the primary factor. Masculine characteristics are enhanced through adulthood and interaction with fellow peers. Parents also instil gender behaviours by assigning responsibilities that relate to the children. Boys are exposed to masculinity at an early stage, and they learn that associating with girls is terrible. During the adolescent phase, men are emphasized on heterosexuality, thus enacting their masculinity.
Pornography is a situation where sexual behaviours are represented in books, pictures and other sources that advocate sexual excitement. Over the year, pornographic activities have continued to rise and have primarily influenced the lives of men and women. Pornography among men and women have recorded various adverse outcomes and mainly affecting the lives of many. Studies have shown that men are more likely to use pornography as compared to women. Pornography has an excellent effect on the human beings; it affects their mind in such that men start viewing women and children as sex objects and thus undermining their integrity, it also affects their body since it can be very addictive which may lead people to engage in various sexual activities and hence end up contracting sexually transmitted diseases (Campbell & Kohut 2017). Pornography also affects the heart. Married people begin to feel dissatisfaction from their partners, and this may bring rise to betrayal and trust issues, adolescents become shameful and experience sexual uncertainties.
Women magazines are featured to be sources of pornographic content among women and girls. Most people who have used pornography before relied on pornography to enable them to engage in any sexual activities and also help them in maintaining their sexual arousal. Viewing of pornographic material usually led to a reduction in sexual intimacy and also and also reduced their satisfaction during sex. Women use the pornographic materials to develop affection towards their partners. Various dominant ideologies in men have made led to the use of pornographic materials. Men that avoid women are at a high risk of being involved in pornographic activities and end up having difficulties in controlling their adopted behaviour.
Trafficking
Sexual trafficking are instances where men, women and children are forced to be involved in commercial sexual activities. Sexual trafficking is usually engaged with false promises from the traffickers to get the victims to slavery (Barclay 2018). People living in abject poverty are the ones who are at risk of sex trafficking because of their poor economic status and also suffer from political marginalisation; which limits their access to some of the essential services provided by the government. Traffickers offer false employment to these people in the major cities, whereby upon arrival into the various towns, the victims are sold in the sex industries where they suffer sexual abuse. Traffickers, in most cases, keep the victims on hold promising to release them after they have paid their debts incurred from the transport costs and the recruitment fees. The traffickers can also use the victims in recruiting other sex slaves.
Sex slave is at the verge of suffering from trauma, sexually transmitted diseases and even malnutrition due to the poor diets available. Sex trafficking in Aotearoa has become a widespread issue due to its prevalence. Victims were forbidden from disclosing their experiences. Victims of sex trafficking in the area suffered trauma. Exploitation of such activities by the oppressors who used the youths, people affected by social marginalization were termed to be a source of protection while they went through severe oppression. Never the less, there was disclosure from unknown sources which brought to light what people went through. Crimes act was amended in 1961 to help in planning on how human trafficking would be addressed and also develop an agency that dealt with people trafficking.
New Zealand have removed penalties associated with the sex trade and has advocated in making sex trade respectable. According to the studies conducted, decriminalisation was always a benefit to the brothel owners and not to the sex providers (Abel 2017). The abuse suffered by the women is an occupational hazard to the women according to the decriminalisation regimes. Sex trade decriminalisation does not protect the sex sellers in any way. Victims of sexual harassment, in most cases, do not report their claims to the relevant authorities. Shame is one of the reasons why victims fail to report their incidents because in most cases, the victims will always have a feeling they were invaded and defiled due to their helplessness. Sex harassment victims also fear denial from the society members and end up convincing themselves that it was not a big deal, another reason why victims fear to speak up is fearing the consequences that may come after that; such fear include loss of jobs and also being branded as trouble makers in their workplaces. Most women also suffer from low self-esteem and thus fail to consider the levels of assaults not severe and even accept down payments from their violators. Victims may also become helpless and develop situations of hopelessness once they fail to get out of an abusive incident. People also fear being in the history of people who have been sexually violated, which makes them not speak up. Women who experienced sexual violence at some point in their life have a fear of speaking up about their incidents. Healthcare providers are in a position to help people who are experiencing sexual violence by providing them with the proper treatment. Some of the care that they can provide includes establishing emergency departments, form school clinics and also come up with primary care clinics.
References
Henry, N. (2016). Theorizing wartime rape: Deconstructing gender, sexuality, and violence. Gender & Society, 30(1), 44-56.
Schulze, C., Koon-Magnin, S., & Bryan, V. (2019). Gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual assault: Challenging the myths. Lynne Rienner Publishers, Incorporated.
NgocTran, T., Barysheva, G. A., & Anh, D. T. P. (2019, September). DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN VIETNAM: NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO PREVENT GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE. In 12th Annual Conference of the EuroMed Academy of Business.
Roberts, L. (2018). Narrative Intervention for Intimate Partner Violence.
Cook, S. L., Wilson, R. A., & Thomas, E. B. (2018). A history of gender-based violence. In APA handbook of the psychology of women: Perspectives on women’s private and public lives, Vol. 2 (pp. 153-173). American Psychological Association.
Gangwar, A., Fidalgo, E., Alegre, E., & González-Castro, V. (2017). Pornography and child sexual abuse detection in image and video: A comparative evaluation.
Campbell, L., & Kohut, T. (2017). The use and effects of pornography in romantic relationships. Current Opinion in Psychology, 13, 6-10.
Barclay, R. (2018). Mental Health Professionals’ Perceptions of Their Therapeutic Role with Survivors of Sexual Trafficking. Arizona State University.
Abel, G. (2017). In search of a fair and free society: The regulation of sex work in New Zealand. In Feminism, prostitution and the state (pp. 140-154). Routledge.