How did gender-based violence manifest during the Rwandan Genocide?

Gender-based violence during the Rwandan Genocide manifested primarily through systematic rape and sexual assault of Tutsi women.

The Rwandan Genocide, which took place in 1994, was marked by horrific acts of violence, with an estimated 800,000 people killed within a span of 100 days. Among these atrocities, gender-based violence was a significant and brutal aspect. The majority of the victims were Tutsi women, who were targeted not only for their ethnicity but also for their gender. The violence was not random or incidental, but rather a systematic and strategic part of the genocide.

Rape was used as a weapon of war, intended to humiliate, degrade and physically and psychologically destroy Tutsi women. It was a tool of ethnic cleansing, with the aim of eradicating the Tutsi population. The sexual violence was often accompanied by extreme physical violence and torture. Women were often raped multiple times, by multiple perpetrators, and in many cases, they were killed afterwards.

In addition to rape, forced marriage was another form of gender-based violence during the genocide. Some Tutsi women were taken as 'wives' by Hutu men, forced into sexual slavery and subjected to regular physical and sexual abuse. These forced marriages were another way of asserting power and control, and furthering the goal of ethnic cleansing.

The gender-based violence also had long-term consequences. Many survivors were left with physical injuries and psychological trauma. There was also a significant increase in the number of children born as a result of rape, many of whom were abandoned or ostracised by their communities. The stigma and social isolation faced by these women and children added another layer of suffering to their ordeal.

In conclusion, gender-based violence was a central part of the Rwandan Genocide. It was a deliberate and systematic strategy, used to humiliate, degrade and destroy the Tutsi population. The impact of this violence was profound and long-lasting, affecting not only the individual victims, but also the wider community and future generations.