Paper/Proposal Title
Framing Our Focus: How Human Rights Reports shape the Understanding of Wartime Rape
Location
River Campus, Room M2080
Start Date
10-4-2013 1:00 PM
Abstract
For most of history, the rape of civilians by armed groups was an expected consequence of war. Today, researchers and advocates, including human rights organizations such as V-Day, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, are challenging the perception that wartime rape is inevitable and calling upon state and non-state actors to end conflict-related sexual violence. Through their reports of wartime atrocities, human rights organizations contribute to the accumulation of knowledge. These narratives are used by scholars, news organizations and governments for research and reporting purposes, yet their emphasis on certain countries, regions or conflicts may reflect organizational priorities or limitations rather than a global picture of the problem of wartime rape.
Through a content analysis and interviews with stakeholders, this project will examine the ways that international human rights organizations frame the issue of wartime rape. The project will examine the ways these organizations have reported the 1) location 2) frequency 3) perpetrators and 4) victims/survivors associated with wartime rape between 2000 and 2012 through a content analysis of the organizations’ reports and campaign materials. The project will compare this coverage to the data on wartime rape as reported by U.S. State Department human rights reports, news organizations and social scientists.
The project also will ask human rights organizations to explain the procedures involved in reporting wartime rape. What logistical, security and political concerns influence the reporting of data? The project will then analyze the potential consequences of these constraints for scholars and policymakers.
Framing Our Focus: How Human Rights Reports shape the Understanding of Wartime Rape
River Campus, Room M2080
For most of history, the rape of civilians by armed groups was an expected consequence of war. Today, researchers and advocates, including human rights organizations such as V-Day, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, are challenging the perception that wartime rape is inevitable and calling upon state and non-state actors to end conflict-related sexual violence. Through their reports of wartime atrocities, human rights organizations contribute to the accumulation of knowledge. These narratives are used by scholars, news organizations and governments for research and reporting purposes, yet their emphasis on certain countries, regions or conflicts may reflect organizational priorities or limitations rather than a global picture of the problem of wartime rape.
Through a content analysis and interviews with stakeholders, this project will examine the ways that international human rights organizations frame the issue of wartime rape. The project will examine the ways these organizations have reported the 1) location 2) frequency 3) perpetrators and 4) victims/survivors associated with wartime rape between 2000 and 2012 through a content analysis of the organizations’ reports and campaign materials. The project will compare this coverage to the data on wartime rape as reported by U.S. State Department human rights reports, news organizations and social scientists.
The project also will ask human rights organizations to explain the procedures involved in reporting wartime rape. What logistical, security and political concerns influence the reporting of data? The project will then analyze the potential consequences of these constraints for scholars and policymakers.
Comments
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