Raped Life. Sexual Violence as a Forward-Looking War Practice: Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Main Author: Katarzyna Wasiak
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika 2020-12-01
• Series: Historia i Polityka
• Subjects: war; sexual violence; bosnia and herzegovina; women
• Online Access: https://apcz.umk.pl/czasopisma/index.php/HiP/article/view/HiP.2020.039

Gender equality is one of the categorical imperatives of universal human rights. However, today, in many national contexts, women’s rights and needs are not respected. The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina has shown the world how thin the line is between coexistence and hate, and what is more, it has shown how easy it is to use a woman’s body in political and war games and then forget about their sacrifice. The article is focused on the long-term effects of wartime sexual violence. Based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of field research, the author wants to show how Bosniak women constantly suffer from sexual violence despite the end of the conflict.