http://www.theworld.org/2009/09/29/rape-as-a-weapon-of-war/ Global Perspectives for an American Audience Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:25:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.theworld.org/2009/09/29/rape-as-a-weapon-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-2389 Bill Hoover Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:27:40 +0000 http://www.theworld.org/?p=14768#comment-2389 It is a profound truth to me that for men of the world to appreciate the trauma of a woman raped as is a common fact in war---men must be told to imagine MEN being raped and forced to suffer oral copulation, and then imagine the horror compounded by pregnancy by the seed of the attacker. Men too easily dismiss this horror by imagining it a natural fact of war. It is a profound truth to me that for men of the world to appreciate the trauma of a woman raped as is a common fact in war—men must be told to imagine MEN being raped and forced to suffer oral copulation, and then imagine the horror compounded by pregnancy by the seed of the attacker. Men too easily dismiss this horror by imagining it a natural fact of war.

]]> http://www.theworld.org/2009/09/29/rape-as-a-weapon-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-2383 Jennifer Monaghan Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:56:49 +0000 http://www.theworld.org/?p=14768#comment-2383 As an undergraduate in history, about 15 years ago, I took a class titled historiography and the assignment was to complete a historical report on the topic of our choice. I decided to write my report on The History of Rape in Warfare (the Bosnian and Herzegovinian War had brought this issue to my attention.) I turned in my thesis statement, but my professor rejected it. I was outraged. How could he think the topic was unworthy? Was he a chauvinist? A misogynist? I stormed to his office and demanded he justify the rejection to my face. He calmly stated that "No, it's a very important topic for a paper, but not a history paper." WHAT!!? He explained further "Historiography is the study of history and history is defined as change over time. Rape has always been a weapon of war and will always be a weapon war. It is unchanging and therefore not a topic for historical study." I'm still angered as I remember this conversation... It still hangs with me. I'd rather believe my professor was incorrect and that my paper was unfairly rejected, than accept his fact that rape has always and will always be used as a weapon of war. As an undergraduate in history, about 15 years ago, I took a class titled historiography and the assignment was to complete a historical report on the topic of our choice. I decided to write my report on The History of Rape in Warfare (the Bosnian and Herzegovinian War had brought this issue to my attention.) I turned in my thesis statement, but my professor rejected it. I was outraged. How could he think the topic was unworthy? Was he a chauvinist? A misogynist? I stormed to his office and demanded he justify the rejection to my face. He calmly stated that “No, it’s a very important topic for a paper, but not a history paper.” WHAT!!? He explained further “Historiography is the study of history and history is defined as change over time. Rape has always been a weapon of war and will always be a weapon war. It is unchanging and therefore not a topic for historical study.”
I’m still angered as I remember this conversation… It still hangs with me. I’d rather believe my professor was incorrect and that my paper was unfairly rejected, than accept his fact that rape has always and will always be used as a weapon of war.

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