When I first met Julia*, a 30-year-old mother-of-three living on the frontline of a protracted war zone, she had no intention of talking about being raped.
Her youngest child, a two-year-old boy, had been kidnapped at gunpoint the night before. Strong and stoic, Julia wanted one thing: to get her baby back.
She had come to see me at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), hoping to find help looking for her son. My colleagues and I were in the country working to support the local civilian population caught up in the conflict, a relentless battle which had caused the death and disappearance of tens of thousands of people, and devastated basic services such as health care and education.
Twenty-four hours earlier, the horror of war arrived in Julia’s home.
When you are sexually assaulted, often no obvious trace remains – no gunshot wound, no clear marks of injury; the deep and far-reaching trauma is invisible.
Without warning, a group of unknown armed men had turned up at her house, confronting the frightened mother and her small children. The men demanded that she cook a meal for them, and then sat and ate their food, while Julia waited anxiously, wondering what would happen next.
Her worst fears were realised when her little boy was taken away. However, this was not the only trauma that Julia experienced that night.
Striving to give as much information as possible about the circumstances of the kidnapping to help her son’s return, she went on to recount an ordeal that is tragically widespread in today’s conflict zones.
Before leaving, two men in the group had forced her outside the house and raped her.
When you are sexually assaulted, often no obvious trace remains – no gunshot wound, no clear marks of injury; the deep and far-reaching trauma is invisible. Victims of sexual violence, whether they be women or men, can suffer from sexually-transmitted infections, psychological anguish, and even blame from their family or their community. Stigmatisation, family break-up, and isolation can often follow.
Sexual violence – whether rape, forced pregnancy, sexual enslavement or many other forms – never happens by accident.
Julia, like countless others around the world who have survived sexual violence, was afraid to report the rape; her main concern was the safety of her kidnapped son. Those who attempt to come forward for help or to seek justice may face violent reprisals, against themselves or their family members.
Fear of reporting sexual violence is not unique to conflict zones. Even at home in Australia, many victims are too scared or ashamed to speak up.
These taboos, the silence around attacks, make it incredibly difficult to measure and document their extent. To respond to this challenge, the ICRC now presumes that sexual violence occurs in every armed conflict, until proven otherwise. This has changed the way we plan our response, being ready even before cases have been identified.
It is always done with intent – to terrorise, to humiliate, to exert power. Such intent has a crucial implication: that sexual violence can be fully prevented.
In Julia’s case, the only reason her story of rape surfaced was because she came to us in an effort to recover her son. Fortunately, not only was she reunited with him, but she also received much-needed medical and psychosocial support.
Sexual violence – whether rape, forced pregnancy, sexual enslavement or many other forms – never happens by accident. It is never collateral damage. It is always done with intent – to terrorise, to humiliate, to exert power. Such intent has a crucial implication: that sexual violence can be fully prevented.
But we can only start preventing it if we start talking about it.
As part of my work with the ICRC, I talk about it as much as I can - with communities, detainees, armed groups and armed forces – always taking great care to never discuss particular cases without the victims’ permission. I emphasise the humanitarian consequences of sexual violence, encouraging victims to urgently access health services. I stress the absolute prohibition on sexual violence, which is considered a serious violation under the laws of war. I also highlight the many measures weapon bearers can take to prevent it from happening: training their troops on the law, providing clear orders during operations and taking the necessary punitive measures when needed. Ultimately, this will help ensure victims are no longer blamed or stigmatised, and challenge the age-old and damaging misconception that rape is an inevitable aspect of war.
This is an uncomfortable topic in most places, for most people. However, breaking down the taboos – whether in conflict zones or elsewhere – means opening up a crucial space for victims to share their story and to receive the support they so desperately need.
*Names have been changed and locations omitted to protect identities.
Tanya Brown is a Canberra-based delegate working for the International Committee of the Red Cross. She has worked on sexual violence in contexts across the world including Central African Republic, Colombia and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
