Darfur women fleeing genocide, become rape victims in camps

Donors need to address needs of women and girls

The women of Darfur are being systematically raped. Rape as a weapon of war is nothing new. Feminists have been screaming about this tool of patriarchal violence for decades, perhaps longer. That this is occurring in the context of ethnic cleansing is not unexpected. That does not make it any less horrible, but it is not surprising.

This time it’s also the “safe haven” that harbors predators waiting for vulnerable women and girls seeking safety in the midst of bloody conflict.

Truthout ran an excellent article describing how the women are being raped in the refugee camps that are supposedly there to offer a safe haven. The story was also picked up by ewomensnews.org. The article is quick to point out that donors need to allow for expenses for protection of women and girls to prevent these crimes and to meet the needs of those who have been victimized.

I first became aware of rape as a tool of war in the late ‘70s when I read Against Our Will by Susan Brownmiller. Inasmuch as it is a historical tome, I would recommend it for anyone trying to make sense of what happens to women such as the refugee women fleeing Darfur in the wake of genocidal insanity.

The Human Rights Watch released a definitive 18-page briefing paper today entitled “Sexual Violence and its Consequences among Displaced Persons in Darfur and Chad.”

I haven’t had a chance to read the entire thing, but I can note that they have outlined the problem and its consequences along with some solutions. They also are attempting to set some sort of standards for responding to this particular kind of violence.

For that, they should be applauded.