Sexual Violence and Exploitation

1. Sexual Violence and
Exploitation
Danielle Jones, Kristina Sakry, Erica Cowgill
WS 420

2. Rape

3. What is rape?
 According to Koss, Heise, & Russo (1994), “Rape is the lack
of choice by woman to engage in sexual intercourse” (As
cited in Burn, 2011, p. 31)
 Rape is a major concern worldwide.
 Rape can be non-normative or normative.
 Non-normative is rape that is against a woman’s will and
violates social norms (Burn, 2011).
 Normative means that the rape is promoted or allowed by a
society (Burn, 2011).

4. Rape continued…
 According to Burn (2011), “Rape is a concern of feminists for six
main reasons:
 Rape is a very real threat to women everywhere.
 Rape laws are weak and poorly enforced.
 The threat of rape limits women’s freedom of movement and
denies them control over their sexuality.
 Many of the victims of rape are girl children and adolescents, often
raped by an adult relative or acquaintance,
 The fact that men can and do rape women, whereas the reverse is
not true, intimidates women and gives power to men.
 Sexual assault is traumatic and has serious psychological, physical,
and social costs” (p. 31-33).

5. Rape continued…
 According to Niarchos (1995), “Rape is an expression of
dominance, power, and contempt, a rejection of women’s
right to self-determination” (As cited in Burns, 2011, p. 32).
 One in three women throughout the world will experience
physical and/or sexual violence by a partner or sexual
violence by a non-partner (World Health Organization, n.d.).
 Rape can lead to unintended pregnancies, HIV/AIDS,
depression, PTSD, emotional distress, abdominal pain, and
poor overall health status (Burn, 2011).

6. War rape continued…

7. War Rape
 Rape is a weapon of war.
 There are 4 types of war rape – genocidal, opportunistic,
political, and forced concubinage.
 Genocidal rape is intended to destroy an ethnic or political
group perceived as an enemy (Burn, 2011).
 Opportunistic rape is when men take advantage of breakdown
of the law due to war to commit crimes against women,
knowing that it would be unlikely to face punishment.
 Political rape is punishing individuals, families, or communities
that have different political views.
 Forced concubinage is where girls or women are kidnapped to
serve the soldiers – wash, cook, serve and have sex (Burn, 2011).

8. War Rape continued…
 War rape is used as a way for attackers to perpetuate their
social control and redraw ethnic boundaries (Smith-Spark,
n.d.).
 Women are seen as the reproducers and carers of the
community so attackers control that group by impregnating
women and see this as a way to destroy the opposing
community (Smith-Spark, n.d.).
 War rape causes women to flee home, fragments the
community, and puts the women at risk for HIV/AIDS
(Smith-Spark, n.d.).

9. Comfort Women

10. Comfort women continued…
 Comfort women refers to the 200,000 women who were
recruited as prostitutes by the Imperial Japanese Army
during WWII (Brooks, 2013).

11. Comfort women continued…
 Comfort women were exploited as sex slaves throughout
Asia and became victims of the largest case of human
trafficking in the 20th century (Brooks, 2013).
 These comfort women were mostly teenagers and were
raped by between 10 to 100 soldiers a day at military rape
camps (Brooks, 2013).
 Only about 25 to 30 % women survived this tragedy (Brook,
2013).
 “The Japanese government had covered up this situation for
more than forty years” (Burn, 2011, p. 34).

12. What is Genital Mutilation?
 The term Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is also called
female circumcision. It is used to describe practices where
people/physicians are cutting and removing sexual organs.₁
 FGM is used to suppress a woman’s sexuality, ensure their
subjugation, and control their reproductive functions.₁
1 Toubia, pgs. 224-237

13. AAWORD
 AAWORD: The Association of African Women for
Research and Development.₁
 AAWORD consist of a group of African women who are
based out of Dakar, Senegal.₁
 These Women research the consequences of FGM.₁
AAWORD pgs. 217-221

14. Statistics on Female Genital
Mutilation
 “In Somalia and Djibouri 80 to 90 percent of all FGM is
infibulation.”₁
 “At least 2 million girls a year are at risk of FGM
approximately 6,000 per day.”₁
 “Approximately 85% of all women who undergo FGM
have Clitortidectomies.”₁
 Clitortidectomies:
“The excision of the clitoris, usually performed part of female
initiation rites, mainly among certain African peoples, but also
sometimes used in various societies to curb sexual desire; female
circumcision. (Dictionary.com)”
1 Toubia, pgs. 224-237

15. FGM results in physical,
psychological and emotional harm .
 Physical harm
 Victims endure can be immediate and long term₁
 Can develop tetanus, hemorrhage, infection, sepsis, and in some cases
death₁
 “2009 study found that FGM victims can endure significant, adverse,
lifelong effects, such as inflammation, infection, urine retention, open
sores.”₁
 Psychological and emotional harm
 PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder)₁
 Depression
 Intimacy
 “FGM eliminates sexual sensation, sexual encounters may
reopen wounds.”₁
1. Abdelkader, Abugideri, Diallo, pg. 36-38

16. Laws on FGM
 United States laws:
 “In the United States laws in 20 states specify FGM as a crime.”
 International Human Rights Law:
 “In December 2012 the United Nations adoted a landmark
resolution, “Intensifying Globalal Efforts for the Elimation of
FGM” calling on all countries to pass laws criminalizing FGM.”
 U.S. Federal Laws:
 “Congress passed a law criminalizing FGM in all of its forms to anyone is
under 18 years old.”
 “2013 Obama signed the “Transport for Female Genital Mutilation Act,”
criminalizing the practice of “vacation cutting”.”
1. Abdelkader, Abugideri, Diallo, pg. 36-38

17. Sexual Assault and Abuse
 Sexual assault is any type of sexual contact or behavior that
occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient
 Forced sexual intercourse
 Forcible sodomy
 Child molestation
 Incest
 Fondling
 Attempted rape
http://www.justice.gov/ovw/sexual-assault

18. Sexual Abuse is….
 Unwanted sexual activity with perpetrators using force,
making threats or taking advantage of victims not able to
give consent.
 Most victims know the perpetrator
http://apa.org/topics/sexual-abuse/index.aspx

19. Sexual Assault cont…
 40 – 47% of sexual assaults happen to girls age 15 or
younger
 49% of sexually active Uganda school age girls reported
forced sexual intercourse
http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/publications-a-z/457-sexual-abuse-
and-violence-in-sub-saharan-africa

20. Egypt’s sexual assault problem
 Mob sexual assaults have become commonplace
 Women stripped and marked with welts while being
pushed, pulled and groped
 One female lost sight in her left eye during assault
 99.3% of Egyptian women have been harassed at some
point
 95.5% of married women have had genital mutilation
 Men blame the women because of their provocative dress and
they should remain at home
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/7/17/egypt-still-has-asexualassaultproblem.
html

21. Egypt’s new sexual harassment
law
 6 month min jail term, higher sentence for chasing victims
 3-5 years if the harasser holds a position of power over
victim (like a boss)
 Onerous standards for proving harassment
 Requires victim to produce 2 witnesses
 Bring harassers to police station themselves
 History suggests eliminating sexual violence will be long
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/7/17/egypt-still-has-asexualassaultproblem.
html

22. Prostitution
 Is the exchange of money for
sex
 Is a cornerstone of rape
culture
 Is also known as sex work or
paid rape
Prostitution, Liberalism, and Slavery

23. Current Map of Prostitution in
the EU

24. Prostitution in Thailand
 Thai culture endorses a sexual climate that started during
the Vietnam War
 The Thai economy became dependent on the prostitution
commerce
 Some Thai women believe that prostitution is suitable
means to find a marriage partner
 Thai women are forced into sexual services and their life
path cannot be changed
 Parents can use their daughters' bodies as payment on a
debt

25. Sex Work in Africa
 is a criminal offence in Africa
 Authorities rarely prosecute sex workers under anti-prostitution
laws and instead arrest and detain under public
nuisance or loitering
 Some prostitutes were driven to sell sex to escape severe
poverty and unemployment
 Some enjoyed the work because it had give the financial
independence
 Income used to support family and pay school fees
 Advantages - own working hours, ready cash, higher
wages, assert independence over working environment

26. Abuse
 Client has ownership and can do what they wish
 Bought and shared among friends
 Clients refuse to pay
 Sex workers physically beaten
 Threatened with firearms
 Gang raped by police and beaten
 Brothel manager takes 50% and if client doesn't pay, worker
still owes 50%
Human rights abuses and collective resilience among sex workers
in four African countries: a qualitative study

27. Sex Tourism uncovered
 Typically men visit Thailand for the specific purpose of
soliciting prostitution
 Wealthy women travel to less developed countries for
romance or sexual experiences
 Wherever prostitution thrives, so does sex trafficking
Prostitution, Liberalism, and Slavery

28. Human Trafficking
 The definition of human trafficking according to Merriam
Webster’s Dictionary is; “organized criminal activity in which
human beings are treated as possessions to be controlled
and exploited.”

29. Statistics
 Trafficking affects 161 countries in the world today. (PP)
 An estimated 20.9 million men, women, and children are
trafficked for commercial sex or forced labor in the world.
(PP)
 The International Labor Organization estimates that forced
labor and human trafficking is a $150 billion industry
worldwide. (ILO)
 The most common form of human trafficking is sexual
exploitation, which consists of 79% worldwide. (UNODC)

30. Where is Human Trafficking?
The United Nations on Drugs and
Crime say, “Human trafficking
affects every country of the world,
as countries of origin, transit or
destination - or even a
combination of all. Trafficking
often occurs from less developed
countries to more developed
countries, where people are
rendered vulnerable to trafficking
by virtue of poverty, conflict or
other conditions.”

31. Rating System
 Each country in the world is rated on a tier system, which
shows the world the level of human trafficking in that
specific location.
 The tiers consist of:
Tier 1: Countries who governments fully comply with the
laws to help eradicate human trafficking.
Tier 2: Countries who meet the minimum amount of
standards but are making a big effort to comply.
Tier 3: Countries who do not meet the standards and are
not making any effort to eradicate human trafficking.
U.S. Department of State.

32. Types of Human
Trafficking
•There are several different types of human trafficking. These are a few:
•Sexual exploitation
•Forced labor
•Domestic servitude
U.S. Department of State.

33. References
 “human trafficking” Merriam-Webster.com. 2014.
www.merriam-webster.com
 Polaris Project. www.polarisproject.org
 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. www.unodc.org
 International Labour Organization. www.ilo.org
 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
www.unodc.org
 U.S. Department of State. www.state.gov
 U.S. Department of State. www.state.gov

34. References
 Toubia, Nahid. "Genital Mutilaiton." FemaleGenital
Mutilation (n.d.): 224-37. Web.
 NA. "A Statement on Genital Mutilation AAWORD."Women
and Health. N.p., n.d. Web.
 ABDELKADER, ENGY1, SALMA ELKADI ABUGIDEIRI, and
MARIAMA2 DIALLO. "Female Genital Mutilation In The United
States." Islamic Horizons 43.5 (2014): 36-38.OmniFile Full Text
Mega (H.W. Wilson) . Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
 Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

35. References
 Brooks, K. (2013, November 25). The history of ‘comfort
women’: A wwii tragedy we can’t forget. The Huffington
Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com
 Burn, S.M. (2011). Women across cultures: A global
perspective (3rd Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
 Smith-Spark, L. (n.d.). How did rape become a weapon of
war [BBC News website]. Retrieved from
http://www.news.bbc.co.uk
 World Health Organization [WHO]. (n.d.). Violence against
women: Global picture health response [International
website]. Retrieved from http://www.who.int

36. References
 Farley, Melissa. "Prostitution, Liberalism, and Slavery." Logos
(2013): 370-386. PDF.
 Fiona Scorgie, Katie Vasey, Eric Harper, Marlise Richter, Prince
Nare, Sian Maseko, and Matthew F Chersich. "Human rights
abuses and collective resilience among sex workers in four
African countries: a qualitative study." BioMed Central (2013): 1-
13. PDF.
 Madhusudana Battala, Bidhubhusan Mahapatra, Niranjan
Saggurti, Akash Porwal. "Non-Disclosure of Violence among
Female Sex Workers: Evidence from a Large Scale Cross-
Sectional Survey in India." Plos One (2014): 1-7. PDF.
 Quach, Cynthia M Vejar and Andrew S. "Sex Slavery in
Thailand." Social Development Issues (2013): 105 -123. PDF.

37. References
 http://www.justice.gov/ovw/sexual-assault
 http://apa.org/topics/sexual-abuse/index.aspx
 http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/publication
s-a-z/457-sexual-abuse-and-violence-in-sub-saharan-africa
 http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/7/17/egypt-still-has-
asexualassaultproblem.html