More on Sexual Violence

[morgan_dhu]

Sexual violence is often cast as something that men do to women. I think it’s probably true that more men commit sexual violence than women, but I’m not prepared to say that’s because they are men. Rather, I would say that it’s because they have power, or think that they deserve power, or are afraid that their power is being threatened. Patriarchal societies are far more common than egalitarian or matriarchal societies. Thus, men are more often in the position of being seen as those who have, or ought to have, power, while women are more often seen as powerless. But sexual violence is a complex thing, and it is not just about men controlling women through the fact, or the threat, of sexual violence.

Sexual violence, and the threat of sexual violence, is widely used to humiliate, intimidate and control oppressed groups. We have all recently seen the evidence of this in the reports of abuse of prisoners in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. If ever anyone thought that women do not commit sexual violence against men, they need look no further than the actions of Lynndie England, Megan Ambuhl and Sabrina Harman, performed under the command of Janis Karpinski, for clear evidence that women are just as capable of such acts as men are, when they are in positions of power over others.

It is important to work toward an end to sexual violence, but we will never do so until we make it very clear that it is about power and control, not sex – and that because it is about power, it is not something that is endemic to one gender. In fact, it is even too simplistic to say, as many, including myself, have said, that it is only something the powerful use against the powerless. It is true that the powerful – or those who think they should be powerful - use it to reinforce their sense of power and to intimidate and control those who are powerless, or who they think should be powerless. But it is also true that those who lack power sometimes use it, when they can, to humiliate and bring down the powerful.

In short, we cannot point to any group of people and say “these people are responsible for sexual violence,” nor can we point to any group of people and say “these people do not commit sexual violence.” In speaking out against sexual violence, it’s important to remember that when we point a finger at someone else, we also point at ourselves.

No pity, no shame, no silence, yes. But also, No More.