Redressing sexual violence in transitional justice and the labelling of women as victim

Abstract

The chapter discusses the implications of labelling women who have experienced sexual violence in times of war and repression as “victims” in discourse and practice of transitional justice. It is based on the assumption that men and women become targets of sexual violence primarily due to their respective gender roles in a society and argues that as a consequence the prevention of future violence requires a significant modification of these gender relations (or power asymmetries) and that a focus on masculinities is essential to understanding these dynamics. This chapter marks a first attempt to conceptualise the link between masculinities, sexual violence and the advancement of gender justice through transitional justice processes. Can the focus on women in the context of crime tribunals, in particular, contribute to more gender justice in the post-conflict society?.