The Forgotten Soldiers

During war, soldiers and world leaders at the forefront of the conflict are applauded for their bravery. However, the civilians affected most by these conflicts are neglected— especially women, who have historically received unruly circumstances of violence during war. Violence against women is a prevalent issue that is undercovered. Continuing to treat this issue as an afterthought is unjust.

Women and girls are the majority of victims, but there have been reports of sexual violence against men and boys. Authorities are unable to accumulate an accurate number of individuals who have been affected by these sex crimes because of the large number of victims who do not report their abuse. These victims do not come forward for a plethora of reasons, from not having the resources to do so to being bombarded with the stigma of coming forward. According to UNWomen, “between 250,000 and 500,000 women and girls were raped in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, more than 60,000 in the civil war in Sierra Leone, between 20,000 and 50,000 in the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and at least 200,000 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 1996.” The examples that the UN uses are not exclusive to just these countries, as this has been occurring in Sudan, the Koreas, and in current global conflicts.

Rape and sexual assault are weapons of war against women and children as a form of punishment or as a tactic to instill fear and control since the beginning of time. This form of abuse has weaved its way into current global conflicts. The United Nations stated in a report on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict, “The Russian Federation is using sexual violence and rape as instruments of terror to control civilians.” Women and children are vulnerable during these periods, and these events of violence leave lasting effects that surpass the period of war and follow them for the rest of their lives. Women are forced into sexual and domestic slave labor that progress into many issues— such as being ‘wives’ to soldiers, murder, torture, and other unfathomable sex crimes.

Sex Trafficking rings rise during war due to the dissolution and disorganization of law, allowing traffickers to operate with ease. With the amount of sex crimes occurring, it is not uncommon for women to contract Sexually Transmitted Diseases, especially HIV. If HIV remains untreated for an extensive time, it can evolve into AIDs and can result in “[living] only 1-2 years after their diagnosis since effective treatments [if] not yet available.” (HIV.org) Many of these women may not have the opportunity to treat their HIV because war disrupts healthcare accessibility—also restricting their ability to access reproductive healthcare. These women are endangered just by existing in circumstances they cannot control.

As global conflicts make the headlines, let us not forget these brave people who endure these unruly series of violent events daily. There are organizations ranging from non-government organizations to the United Nations Office on Sexual Violence in Conflict that aid these victims through donations and advocacy to ensure that their stories do not continue to be forgotten.

Bibliography 

"Sexual Violence ‘Most Hidden Crime’ Being Committed against Ukrainians, Civil Society Representative Tells Security Council." United Nations, 22 Jun. 2022, press.un.org/en/2022/sc14926.doc.htm.

"Violence Against Women and Girls in Armed Conflict." European Institute for Gender Equality, 1 Jan. 2006, eige.europa.eu/publications-resources/thesaurus/terms/1275?language_content_entity=en.

​​"Rape As a Tactic of War." UN Women, www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Media/Publications/UNIFEM/EVAWkit_06_Factsheet_ConflictAndPostConflict_en.pdf.

"Aging with HIV." HIV.Org, 14 Sept. 2023, www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/living-well-with-hiv/taking-care-of-yourself/aging-with-hiv/.