Politicization of Sexual Violence From Abolitionism to Peacekeeping Carol Harrington Politicization of Sexual Violence Gender in a Global/local World Series editors: Jane Parpart, Pauline Gardiner Barber and Marianne H. Marchand Gender in a Global/Local World critically explores the uneven and often contradictory ways in which global processes and local identities come together. Much has been and is being written about globalization and responses to it but rarely from a critical, historical, gendered perspective. Yet, these processes are profoundly gendered albeit in different ways in particular contexts and times. the changes in social, cultural, economic and political institutions and practices alter the conditions under which women and men make and remake their lives. new spaces have been created – economic, political, social – and previously silent voices are being heard. north-South dichotomies are being undermined as increasing numbers of people and communities are exposed to international processes through migration, travel and communication, even as marginalization and poverty intensify for many in all parts of the world. the series features monographs and collections which explore the tensions in a ‘global/local world’, and includes contributions from all disciplines in recognition that no single approach can capture these complex processes. Forthcoming titles in this series Contours of Citizenship Women, Diversity and Practices of Citizenship edited by Margaret abraham, esther ngan-ling chow, laura Maratou-alipranti and evangelia tastsoglou iSBn 978-0-7546-7779-6 Federalism, Feminism and Multilevel Governance edited by Melissa Haussman, Marian Sawer and Jill Vickers iSBn 978-0-7546-7717-8 Previous titles are also listed at the back of the book Politicization of Sexual Violence from abolitionism to Peacekeeping carol HarrinGton Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand © carol Harrington 2010 all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. carol Harrington has asserted her right under the copyright, Designs and Patents act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Published by ashgate Publishing limited ashgate Publishing company Wey court east Suite 420 union road 101 cherry Street farnham Burlington Surrey, Gu9 7Pt Vt 05401-4405 england uSa www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Harrington, carol, 1965- Politicization of sexual violence : from abolitionism to peacekeeping. -- (Gender in a global/local world) 1. rape victims--legal status, laws, etc.--History. 2. anti-rape movement. 3. third-wave feminism. 4. Women-- crimes against--Prevention--international cooperation. 5. Women and the security sector--History. i. title ii. Series 362.8'83-dc22 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Harrington, carol. Politicization of sexual violence: from abolitionism to peacekeeping / by carol Harrington. p. cm. -- (Gender in a global/local world) includes bibliographical references and index. iSBn 978-0-7546-7458-0 (hardback) -- iSBn 978-1-4094-0193-3 (ebook) 1. rape--Political aspects. 2. Sex crimes--Political aspects. 3. rape--Prevention. 4. Sex crimes--Prevention. 5. international cooperation. i. title. HV6558.H37 2009 362.883--dc22 2009038691 iSBn 9780754674580 (hbk) iSBn 9781409401933 (ebk.III) contents List of Abbreviations vii Acknowledgements ix Series Editors’ Preface xi introduction 1 1 Documenting Sexual Violence as a Problem of individual freedom 11 2 unspeakable outrages and expertise on Women’s Problems 31 3 atrocity Propaganda, international organizations and the Science of Peace 51 4 Silence on Sexual Violence? World War ii and the united nations Women’s Bureaucracy 73 5 Pathologizing unfreedom: Western cold War Models of Human rights and Public Mental Health 97 6 the Medicalization of Peacekeeping and Government of Sexual and Gender-based Violence 121 7 Gender experts and Gender Police: Policing the Peacekeepers and empowering Women? 145 8 Knowledge and techniques for Governing Sexual exploitation and abuse (Sea) 169 conclusion 195 Bibliography 199 Index 227 Dedicated to Frances Ryman for insisting that I go to university. list of abbreviations CATW Coalition Against Trafficking in Women ciD criminal investigation Division (uS army) cSce commission on Security and cooperation in europe DSM Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DoD Department of Defense (uS) ecoSoc economic and Social council of the united nations iaW international alliance of Women (formerly iWSa) icW international council of Women icrc international committee of the red cross and red crescent Societies ictr international criminal tribunal for rwanda ictY international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia icWPP international committee of Women for Permanent Peace ioM international organization for Migration iStSS international Society for traumatic Stress Studies iWSa international Women’s Suffrage alliance MSf Médecins Sans frontières nato north atlantic treaty organization nGo non Governmental organization (including international nGos) noW national organization of Women OIOS Office of Internal Oversight Services OHCHR Office of the High Commission for Human Rights oSce organization for Social and economic cooperation in europe PKo Peacekeeping operation PSo Peace Support operation PtSD Post traumatic Stress Disorder Sea Sexual exploitation and abuse SGBV Sexual and Gender-Based Violence SORO Special Operations Research Office UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization unHcr united nations High commission for refugees unicef united nations children’s fund unifeM united nations Development fund for Women unMiBH united nations Mission in Bosnia Herzegovina unMiK united nations Mission in Kosovo uSaiD united States agency for international Development viii Politicization of Sexual Violence VoT Victim of Trafficking WiDf Women’s international Democratic federation WHo World Health organization acknowledgements i began research for this book, although i did not know it at the time, while working on a paper entitled “Feminism and Reflexivity” for the 2002 Critical Sociology conference in tbilisi, Georgia. thanks to ayman Salem for his energy and initiative in organizing this conference and inviting me to give the keynote address. i developed most of this text at the central european university and would like to thank my colleagues in the Political Science Department for their encouragement and support. i am especially grateful for the academic leadership of the program heads during my time at CEU, János Kis, Nenad Dimitrijević, Gábor tóka and Dorothee Bohle. My ceu reading group colleagues, erin Jenne, nitsan chorev, Sonja amadae, elissa Helms and Karl Hall provided astute and patient feedback on my early efforts and draft book proposals. thanks also to Michael Merlingen for discussing the project with me and alerting me to Vanessa Pupavac’s work. i am grateful to the organizers of the History of Human rights Workshop hosted by the center for the Study of History and Memory and the Department of History, indiana university, Bloomington, in March 2006. this workshop alerted me to the important work of Kenneth cmiel, as well as for the opportunity to have focused discussion with scholars from a range of disciplines who shared my academic interest in the history of human rights. thanks to all the participants, i am particularly grateful to rosemary foot for recommending Stephanie Kuttner’s unpublished thesis after discussing my research with me. i completed this text while teaching at Victoria university of Wellington, new zealand, where Deborah Jones, Jo Smith and teresia teaiwa kindly invited me to join their writing group and offered astute advice on polishing the final draft. finally thanks most of all to my dear partner and colleague, alexander Maxwell, who read and provided detailed criticism of innumerable drafts. alexander’s knowledge of history and languages has left its mark on every chapter of this book.