Editor's Note: Stewart M. Patrick is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (where he writes the blog The Internationalist) and Director of the Program on International Institutions and Global Governance. This post comes originally from the blog The Internationalist.
By Stewart M. Patrick
Today, I would like to draw your attention to a disturbing phenomenon ignored by the foreign policy community but all too common in global conflict zones: The pervasive sexual abuse of men in war.
Women, of course, bear the main brunt of wartime sexual violence—as they always have. Last December, my CFR colleague Mark Lagon hosted a sobering meeting with the eminent legal scholar and activist Catharine MacKinnon. Now the special gender adviser to the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, Mackinnon in 2000 argued the path-breaking legal case Kadic vs. Karadzic — about mass Serbian rape of Bosnian women — which for the first time established mass rape as an act of genocide.
Over the past two decades, international attention to rape as a weapon of war has been growing. Documentary filmmakers have often been in the forefront.
In 2006 Lisa F. Jackson traveled to DRC to interview thousands of rape victims, and their perpetrators. Her resulting film, The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo, won the Special Jury Prize at Sundance in 2008 and subsequently inspired a UN resolution condemning rape as a weapon of war. Several of my CFR colleagues — including Laurie Garrett, Isobel Coleman, and Matthew Waxman — have spoken and written eloquently on the scope of such atrocities and the need to hold perpetrators accountable.
At the same time, as the Guardian reported on Sunday, the United Nations (UN) and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) “barely acknowledge” the pervasive sexual violence against men that occurs in modern war.
The article documents the terrible suffering of a Congolese refugee who was captured by rebels and raped multiple times per day, and watched countless other men be similarly brutalized. 22% of men in Eastern Congo reported being victims of sexual violence, compared to 30% of women. One victim reported the crime to police, and was laughed at. A doctor in whom he confided merely gave him Panadol (a local equivalent of Tylenol). He described:
“Everybody has heard the women’s stories. But nobody has heard the men’s.”
The violence, and the disregard, is global. 80% of Bosnian males imprisoned in concentration camps and 76% of El Salvadoran male political prisoners report sexual abuse. Yet, of roughly 4,000 NGOs addressing wartime sexual violence, only 3% mentioned male victims (and usually only in passing).
Read: U.S. trade policy; is America AWOL?
International institutions are also falling short. They should be lauded for attempting to address mass violence against women during wartime, but the protection and outreach must be extended to all victims.
The Guardian quoted one refugee who sought help from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and was told “‘we have a programme for vulnerable women, but not men.’” Margot Wallström, the UN special representative of the secretary-general for sexual violence in conflict counters that UNHCR does assist both men and women, but that women are “overwhelmingly” the victims. Emerging studies, however, suggest sexual violence against men is more widespread than commonly acknowledged.
Part of the difficulty stems from the fact that some countries do not criminalize sexual abuse of men, as this report (PDF) by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs documents. International humanitarian law criminalized rape in the twentieth century, but “prosecution was nonexistent” during the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials. The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and its Rwandan counterpart (ICTR) included rape in the category of crimes against humanity, war crime, and genocide, but abuse against women earned harsher punishment than abuse against men.
Read: U.S. policy on weak states; time to face the facts
However, Lara Stemple of the University of California’s Health and Human Rights Law project also notes that:
“There are dozens of references to “violence against women” — defined to include sexual violence — in United Nations human rights resolutions, treaties and agreements, but most don’t mention sexual violence against men.”
She adds:
“The UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000 treats wartime sexual violence as something that only impacts on women and girls… Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently announced $44m to implement this resolution."
"Because of its entirely exclusive focus on female victims, it seems unlikely that any of these new funds will reach the thousands of men and boys who suffer from this kind of abuse. Ignoring male rape not only neglects men, it also harms women by reinforcing a viewpoint that equates ‘female’ with ‘victim’, thus hampering our ability to see women as strong and empowered. In the same way, silence about male victims reinforces unhealthy expectations about men and their supposed invulnerability.”
I recognize that this is not an easy subject for men, in particular, to acknowledge. But we all need to shine the spotlight on such suffering to underscore that sexual abuse, no matter the gender of the victim, is abhorrent—and that perpetrators must be held to account. And the world needs to provide legal resources and psychological support to men who demonstrate the courage to come forward in reporting such crimes, despite the social stigma so often attached to their plight.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of Stewart M. Patrick. For more, visit his blog, The Internationalist.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Oldest rule of war in the world for all you bleeding hearts – to the victors go the spoils. If you can't figure that out, you are rock dumb.
You consider raping men a spoil of war?
Tom, so you consider raping women and babies – but not men – a spoil of war? Other than returning to the days of eunuchs or putting something in the world's water to control the male half of the population, eliminating war is the only hope for all the vulnerable who have the misfortune to not have the means to escape the primitive pack mentality of male mob rule.
I thought the oldest rule was 'never start a ground war in asia'.
Watched Princess Bride too much lately??
I thought it was, "never wager against a Sicilian when death is on the line".
I thought it was "Never invade Russia during the Winter."
CrazyPete
"I thought the oldest rule was 'never start a ground war in asia'."
No that's the SECOND oldest rule, the first is "Never fight a war on two fronts"
I guess the administration who started these warS wasn't into all that book readn' stuff.
Ahaha that's the one.
mojojojo July 28, 2011 I've read Kate's blog periodically and I find her houroums. So the following is not meant to be nasty or cruel at all. Just objective Kate, you better get a good hobby that you really enjoy (if you don't already have one). And maybe a long-life breed of cat or a dog, too. Cuz chances are, you're going to remain single.Believe me, I know. As a midlifer I've got quite a few friends (guys admittedly) that are very much like you This one's too old (& creepy) This one's too young (& virgin) This one's too short (& lumpy) This one's too tall (& skinny) This one's too naked (& spontaneous) This one's too PERFECT (& perfect) And they're all STILL single. And will likely stay that way. Which is OK, if that's what you really want. Not my business. But I'm just sayin'.If I weren't off the market, I'd be happy to date you, if only to see what horror story you'd write about me. (I figure somewhere in the world there's always a woman telling horror stories about me. Most often my wife )Good luck!
And your point is? Just because a certain crime or form of abuse is widespread we shouldn't try to do anything to combat it? I suspect you'd change your tune if you or someone you loved had been victimized in this way.
Have you ever seen American Beauty? Wonder how many anti-gay soldiers are ...... gay?
It was my experience in the Army that a significant number of soldiers were gay or lesbian. In many units, the only people not aware of this were the First Sergeant and Commander (since they recommend chaptering, aka firing).
How do I become a political prisoner???
jerk
Why isnt anyone interviewing Anderson Cooper about this? He seems to love getting himself thrown into 3rd world country jails and always emerges with a glow. Whats up with that?
How YOU doin'? I got your POW camp all set up!
WOOF!
I'd rather have the bleeding heart of a human that sees these actions for the atrocities that they are, than have an ice cold heart of a monster who could care less about the suffering of others.
Whatever
Good, when the apocalypse comes, it will be that much easier to kill you and take your stuff.
Our hearts will bleed for you while we eat your cans of baked beans. NOT.
you fkn joto- u like that dont you
Do you mean that if you were a member of a victorious army you would corn-hole all of the prisoners?
SanDiego, that speaks volumes about yout intelligence and character, you know.
You're a jerk, plain and simple and probably spoiled too.
If you think raping is a spoil of war, you're a sick, sick...well, I was going to say man, but that doesn't apply to you in this case...
You consider raping a man the spoils of war? Seriously how ugly are your women?!
but isnt this what obama is promoting in the us?
Here, you're missing this at the front of your name! 'T'
well said.
LOL!
Well played, SIR, well played indeed! LOL
Touche!
Close, but the moniker would be more appropriate if it was "Twit."
nice!
You're so clever, and they say dropping out in the sixth grade is detrimental (too big of word? sorry) to a persons development. Boy, you're showing them!
You see? This is exactly why Mommie doesn't want you to use her computer when she's in the bathroom.
Yup.... bend over dearies....Time for your "medicine".
Oh man...!!!
And now they want to cut the education budget..!! they should read this moron's comment, may be they will change their minds..
if you haven't caught on yet that they want us dumber so we are easy controlled i don't think you ever will
The sickness of the perpetrators is significant. Little do they know that they are damaging themselves far more than the victim. Kudos to CNN for shining the spotlight into the darkness. Evil is only perpetuated when good people say and do nothing.
I like the way you think Tom
I agree. They are damning themselves in ways they don't understand.
Anderson Cooper pushed this story...wanted to go 'in depth'
No joke brother, I can't imagine getting a kernel of corn stuck in my peepee hole.
Oh, now that it's men we're all concerned. Bah.
At Dan'l....my thoughts exactly!
Nonsense– we've been concerned when confronted with evidence about violence against women, too. Why are you unwilling to acknowledge the suffering of men? Are you guilty of abuse against men?
Just drop a hundred-megger...
This would have been a great article to read if it wasn't center justified. Can barely read it. Please use left justification!!!!
... it just happens to be in the middle of the page. Notice the straight line down the left side of the text. Move your chair 5 inches to the right and you'll be a-ok.
Didn't know how extensive this problem was! It is sick to think about, but it is important to shed light and take action for men as well as the women.
Barbarians have a difficult time distinguishing their azzez from a hole in the ground, makes sense that they would have difficulty in making distinctions between human oraficies as well.
Does anybody here think that any sort of condemnation like this is going to make a difference? This reminds me so much of how the UN makes statements "strongly condemning" actions of various dictators, while standing aside and doing nothing. These liberal elitists remind me so much of the British during the Revolutionary War–insisting that people fight a certain way from afar.
When it comes to freedom, frustration, anger, and the wars that result from them, people aren't going to give a second somebody else's ideas about what they should or shouldn't be doing. About the only people who will listen to this are the people who aren't doing it already.
oH, i USED TO BE A CUSTOMER! Will u arrest me now?
I say, send all the jomos, to war- they like to get fked..
what what in the but?
Want to reduce war and suffering? Depopulate.
Yes, by all means. Kill millions of innocent people, so that we can avert war. Brilliant.
Define innocent please. One must remember that children are awesome..... until they growup and become adults, then they suck just as much as the rest of us.
Too many people on this planet anyway. I would love to see a huge die off, preferably overseas, but here would be ok with me as well seeing as how america reminds me to some extent of some of the foreign countries I have been to. I can't even tell which ones of us are actual americans anymore or just foreign squatters. War is not the answer, takes alot of time, energy, and money; whereas, disease kills quickly, efficiently, and needs no money to do so, also you get more fish in your net across the board with disease.
How can we do anything when their own government's don't do anything to stop the perpetrators. until they are willing to stop the atrocity themselves, then all we can do is sit back and become more and more frustrated. They as a government must evolve and be willing to become harsher to those who are running amuck in their own countrysides raping, and killing, stealing children and putting guns in their hands, and raping them as well, turning them little boys into the men who will do exactly the same in ten years. until then we are just beating out heads against the wall. they will not change. yes we can help them but they must be willing to change as a whole.
Only the stupid media would think that in a war, where you can not even bring order to the chaos that surrounds people killing each other that you could some how comparmentalize war and end aspects of it. Watch a show on army ants attacking another ant hill and see how order could be brought to any of that.
Good point. Let's end the raping, so all this killing of men, women and children is a little less offensive to our sensibilities.
This is why Generation Y needs to hear about sin and hell plainly because eternal punishment in hell is reality for some mankind.
;0)
Victims must be educated to be tough. There are many kinds of pain and violations and many ways to die in this world. If any of us can stand, we are standing only to rescue others and not to gratify our selfishness. It's not such a world. Pursuit of one's own happiness was a wrong term and unchristian from the beginning. God Himself went through humility and sufferings and death for us to redeem us from our own evil and its eternal consequences. Mankind must stop killing unborn humans and stop promoting immoral lifestyles.
. . . . . it's sad that some folks are snickering at the victims' ordeal
Sad? Its free entertainment
Disgusting is the word you're looking for.
Se xual abuse of men occurs in peacetime. The Jordanian army refers to the youngest member in a unit as the "platoon boy".
Blackwater has a job for you in Iraq.... 100k a year for a good merc
CNN please better edit your articles especially on important topics such as this. You should not use acronmys without explaining what they are.
"There is no level of depravity, to which men are unwilling to sink." R. Prock circa 2010. The cultures that use these tactics, have no motivation to change. They LIKE it. No amount of money, or well intentioned resolutions will change them.
Totally agree with this article. Well said.
Good luck with this one. No one cares about adult male suffering.When is the last time you heard a story about a missing adult male in the news? People will feed a dog on the street before they even acknowledge the presence of a homeless man. In times of crisis men are expected to sacrifice themselves, and we have gladly done so by the billions during the course of History.Ever seen a video of a man getting kicked in the privates? Now imagine it was a woman or a child. See what i mean.
your right
Gerald, men are not defenseless. You can fight back. Unlike women and children, men know they are destined to battle that involve physical pains and try themselves to the limit. Honorable men do not belittele those who are in disadvange or abuse the defenseless in wartime or in peace.
Women and even children are not defenseless. Everybody should stand up for themselves and nobody should be abused. Gender and age really don't matter here. Men are not "destined" for battle any more than anyone else.
...AND HILLARY CLINTON IS THROWING $44 MILLION DOLLARS INTO THIS?....NO WONDER WE ARE BROKE!!!!
War is the miserable failure to man's pretentions of Higher sponsorship.
What, you mean like getting Nike to sponsor the war?
Don't ask....Don't tell.....Giggity, Giggity, Giggity!
Wars are an inevitable evil, because basic human nature is to provide for himself and his own at the expense of his neighbors. Wars give all property, money, and population to the victors. All politicians see the value in a war. I just hope the people of the free world realize that it is unwise to neglect the military.
Because humans are evil, war will never cease until Jesus returns and rules.
For economy: Can USA issue a Year of Jubilee, a cancellation of all debts internally and externally? What happens then? No one is starving in USA, you know. Will the rich and Chinese people be in trouble and get upset? What's the value of money to a human being?
that is shocking
Little wonder male victims don't want to come forward, given the locker-room responses here. It's violent, humiliating and absolutely hurts the victim more than the aggressor. Enforce the laws, punish these guys and hope the victims find some peace.
This has been going on since the beginning of history! Human nature with war/prison.... people just need to wake up
It is appropriate time to make a few plans for the future and it's time to be happy. I have read this publish and if I may I want to counsel you few attention-grabbing things or tips. Perhaps you could write next articles regarding this article. I desire to learn even more things about it!