Rape of Women in a War Zone
A National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet
"A nation is not conquered until the women's hearts lay on the
ground." -- Cheyenne Indian saying
In war, rape is an assault on both the individual woman and her family and
community. Many hundreds of thousands of women have been raped in wars in this
century alone, as reported in areas as diverse as Korea, Bangladesh, Liberia,
Southeast Asia, and Uganda. Bosnian refugees have described how, in the former
Yugoslavia, military forces publicly raped women to systematically force
families to flee their villages, contributing to the goal of "ethnic
cleansing." Assaults are often gang-related and sadistic, including other
forms of physical torture. These women may also experience loss of home and
community, dislocation, injury, and untreated illness, and these women may witness
the murder, injury, or rape of loved ones. The effects of these types of trauma
are immeasurable, long lasting, and shattering to both inner and outer worlds.
The situation is worsened by the religious and cultural attitudes
surrounding rape. In a Muslim culture, the honor of the woman reflects upon the
entire family; rape victims of Muslim faith may believe that the rape is a
punishment for some sin that they have committed. Even if they do not blame
themselves, they may feel such a strong cultural responsibility to protect
their family that they often remain silent about the trauma. Many of the
Bosnian rape victims told nobody, or very few people, about what happened to
them.
The number of women being subjected to rape in Kosovo is not yet known.
Rates of rape and sexual assault ranged from 3% to 6% in Bosnian refugee women.
Long-term emotional, mental, and physical consequences of rape are found in up
to 60% of U.S. female survivors. Similar posttraumatic symptoms were found in
up to 75% of Bosnian refugees, even in women who did not report a rape, It is
estimated that the long-term consequences of rape will be present in the
majority of women subjected to war-related rape in Kosovo.
Consequences of rape
Immediate consequences of rape, affecting the majority of women who are
raped, include:
- Emotional symptoms: shock, intense fear, tearfulness,
anger, shame, helplessness, nervousness, numbness
- Psychological symptoms: confusion, disorientation,
unwanted memories, decreased concentration, self-blame
- Physical symptoms: bodily injury; sexually transmitted
diseases; muscular tension; fatigue; edginess; change in sleep, appetite, and
sex drive; gastrointestinal problems; racing heart; bodily aches and pains
Long-term consequences of rape can be complex and severe, including injury
and sexually transmitted diseases; marked interpersonal changes such as
distrust, anger, and isolation; and psychiatric disorders such as:
* Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): reexperiencing the trauma in memories
and dreams, avoiding anything reminiscent of the event, memory loss, emotional
numbing, sleep disturbance, anxiety
- Depression: loss of hope, self-worth, motivation, or
purpose in life; fatigue; decreased pleasure in previously enjoyed activities; changes
in sleep and appetite; suicidal thoughts or actions
- Alcohol and substance abuse
Treatment
While the consequences of rape are severe and complex, treatments are available
that significantly reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.
Related Fact Sheets
Female
sexual assault
Defines sexual assault among females and gives an overview of its immediate
and long-term effects
Refugees
Discusses the traumatic events that refugees face, the difficulties of measuring
PTSD in refugees, and the distinct challenges associated with assessing and
treating refugees
Treatment
Information on availble treatments for PTSD
Women
and sexual trauma
A fact sheet for medical providers working with women who have a history of
sexual trauma
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