Of exceptions and continuities: theory and methodology in research on conflict-related sexual violence

ABSTRACT

In response to an emerging debate around qualitative and quantitative methods in sexual violence research, in this paper I explore the apparent unease between the two methodological approaches, and ask how empirical data with regard to sexual violence in conflict informs policy and calls for justice. I argue that the quantitative turn in conflict-related sexual violence research feeds into its exceptionalization and tends to divorce such violence from more contextualized gender analyses, or perspectives that emphasize continuums of gender-based violence. While in some cases exceptionalization is essential, such as for the purpose of criminal accountability, for the purposes of understanding prevalence we need quantitative and qualitative analysis, and comparative as well as contextual data that will allow us to see the continuities as well. The analysis of gender, understood as a “constitutive element of social relations” (Scott, J. W. 1986. “Gender: A Useful Category of Historical Analysis.” The American Historical Review 91 (5): 1053–1075), is central to such a quest of better understanding both sexual violence and war.

KEYWORDS:

• Sexual violence in conflict
• continuum of violence
• gender-based violence
• methodology

Acknowledgements

I thank Kieran Mitton at the Conflict, Security and Development Research Group at King’s College London for providing the opportunity to discuss my thoughts, and Marsha Henry and Paul Kirby for asking sharp questions; of course, the results are entirely mine.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Jelke Boesten is Reader in Gender and Development at the Department of International Development, King’s College London.

Notes

1. This was confirmed by expert witness Paloma Soria at the trial (Telesur 2016), as well as by the Washington Office on Latin America trial observer Burt (2016c).

2. See also Comisión de la Verdad y Reonciliación de Peru (2003), volume VI, chapter 1.5 on sexual violence against women, especially annex 3 (statistical summary).

3. One could argue that in the case of conflict, the use of sexual violence to control extends to men, and even whole communities. This makes it then a weapon of war.