Militarized Masculinities and the Political Economy of Wartime Sexual Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Rape and other forms of sexual violence have been a prominent feature in the conflict in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), committed as a weapon of war and opportunistically by all groups involved. This chapter seeks to understand the causes of sexual violence in this conflict with a primary focus on structural influences. Through an analysis of literature on rape in war and primary data obtained through interviews conducted in eastern Congo in 2010, this chapter takes the militarization of masculinity and the economic objectives of armed groups to be important factors for understanding the ongoing use of sexual violence in this conflict. This chapter contends that the prevalence and form of sexual violence occurring in this war must be understood in relation to both the social constructs of masculinity fostered in Congo and the political economy of the ongoing war. This chapter argues that while political and economic reforms are essential to ending the conflict, they may be insufficient for ending the use of sexual violence. In order that women’s rights be protected in postconflict Congo, social reform that addresses the relationship of sexual violence with masculinity must also be implemented.KeywordsUnited NationsSexual ViolenceDemocratic RepublicShadow EconomyPolitical ViolenceThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.