The Padlocked Vagina — Rape as Torture in the Congo~from Women’s Space…
January 24, 2008 by sparklematrix
Update: War Against Woman in Congo Video
The civil war in Congo is an ethnic conflict, but gender has become a crucial factor. Women are bearing the brunt of one of the horrible weapons used in the war: rape.
I have just lifted this post from Heart’s as I have no words to add.
WARNING — MAY TRIGGER
“To intensify the cruelty, soldiers are even shooting women in the vagina, destroying their systems so completely that numerous operations are necessary—and even then repair may not be possible.”
By Suki Falconberg
“Go where you are least welcome; it is where you are most needed.”
–Abigail Kelley Foster
Of the many rape zones on Rape Planet Earth, the Congo is currently the most savage. After gang raping women and girls, soldiers are piercing their labia and padlocking their vaginas shut. Hot plastic as well as sticks and bayonets are being inserted into the women. Six-month-old girls have been raped to death.
Gang rapes are so severe that many women are suffering from fistula (the tearing of the vaginal wall so that the contents of the colon and urine seep in). Unable to reach medical care, some women are dying of massive infections. Even if the women do reach a doctor, fistula is very hard to repair—few practitioners can do it.
To intensify the cruelty, soldiers are even shooting women in the vagina, destroying their systems so completely that numerous operations are necessary—and even then repair may not be possible.
Despite how horrifying all this seems, there is nothing new Under the Rape Sun. ‘Fistula Rape,’ I call it—needing to find my own vocabulary for a reality rarely written about. The Romans, at one time, inflicted it on women in wartime. The Japanese were masters at it—the soldiers own photos of Nanking show naked, dead Chinese women in the streets, objects like pitchforks shoved into them.
Nothing new, either, about “sexual terrorism,” the use of women’s bodies as battlefields for male cruelty, for political ends—we have seen it all before, in Bangladesh, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur. (And now in Iraq.)
Anderson Cooper, reporting on the ‘fistula rapes’ in the Congo on a recent 60 Minutes (13 Jan. 200 
asks why men do this? It is a huge question. As a gentle woman, I have no answer. Do you men hate us women so much that you have to destroy our vaginas and our wombs, the very source of life itself?
But this article is not really about fistula rape or the Congo or that huge question in the previous paragraph. It is about the Padlocked Vagina and about my place in this confusing world. I am what is called a ‘dissident’ voice. I am a woman who speaks against those who inflict sexual suffering (whether it be in the Congo or in Iraq). As such, I am, according to my government, a terrorist.
Previously, the American Congress labeled me one when they passed the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. It condemned me for speaking up for the other animals species we torture by the billions (in factory farms and in labs, for example). Now the “Thought Police” are promoting a Homegrown Terrorism Bill (H.R. 1955/S. 1959) that tells me my ‘dissident’ voice is a danger to my country.
My take on all this is hardly original: A democracy is strong precisely because of its dissident voices. All Americans should nod to me, in approval, or maybe even clap for me–with high rejoicing–that I speak up. I don’t want my vagina to be padlocked next. It has been through enough.
To not sound too corny, as an American I cherish my rights. That first amendment is precious beyond gold and diamonds to me. (Never mind that I never buy gold and diamonds because of the exploitative way they are mined and marketed—it is the metaphor I am after here.) Being a woman of little courage, I tremble every time I exercise my first amendment right to be a dissident voice. But I am aware that I live in a country that, so far, has let me speak—loudly, dissidently—without imprisonment, torture, or execution.
When I saw this photo [Warning, May Trigger] of the Congolese woman being held down, the most sensitive area of her body being pieced, it was like having cold water thrown on me. It was a wake-up call. I don’t want to be that next padlocked vagina. I sit in comfort, in front of my computer. I am relatively safe—no immediate threats of physical violence, no one beating me up. Despite having known some severe sexual mistreatment in the past (like gang rape and being a ‘dirty joke’ to a lot of men since I sold sex, once, a long time ago), I realized, when I saw this picture, that at least I was not having my vagina padlocked. What a joy! To sit here, with the freedom to write–and an unpadlocked vagina, too! This is true happiness.
After I write this article, I can get up and take my dog for a walk. No bleeding, infected, padlocked vagina holding me back. Then I can come home, to a warm, safe room, out of the winter chill, and give Boromir (that’s my dog’s name) a treat and we can both sit by the fireplace—me with a (vegan) buttered English muffin and hot chocolate (vegan) by my side–and watch an old movie on TV. I can sip my cocoa and pet his big, comforting body (having a big dog makes a cowardly woman like me feel safe).
I have to keep being a dissident voice in order to keep Boromir safe and myself safe and my vagina free from being padlocked.
Suki Falconberg, © 2008
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Suki is an ex-prostitute and a contributing writer for Cyrano’s Journal Online. Her novel, Tender Bodies and Whore Stories, an erotic fantasy with a satiric edge set in the world of military prostitution, is available at www.xlibris.com/Bookstore. The sequel, Comfort the Comfort Women, is also available at that site.
Link – WARNING — GRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHS — MAY TRIGGER
Suki e-mailed this article to me with permission to publish it. You’ll recall her powerful letter to Ken Burns which I published not long ago. — Heart
And now I’ve just looked at my stats and all I can see is men searching for ‘rape’ ‘rape porn’ ‘Lolita raped by 3 men’ and on and on. Seriously guys…WHAT DO YOU WANT?
Why do men do this? A good question. Because they can maybe? Quentin Crisp, when writing about homophobic violence said that people mistake the source of it - it is not necessarily hatred of gay people but an attack on those who the attackers know will not be defended. That seems to be the case with wartime rape to me - the soldiers are hyped up in to a state of murderous hatred and women are there and easy to attack - indeed the attack is condoned. The rape bit is almost incidental - it is violent hatred pure and simple, directed at those who will find no defence. It’s the same force that was at play in Abu Ghraib. Does any of this sound plausible? because I’m just theorising…..
It sounds very plausible Polly. Why attack people of equal strength / standing / and so forth when you have a convenient underdog, scapegoat as a vehicle for your hatred.
Like a hideous caricature of ‘kick the cat’
Glad Sparkle you’ve lifted this from Heart’s blog. I already knew males were committing massive multiple rapes against women and girls in the Congo and that it has gone unnoticed and unrecognised. I see similarity between these femicides and ones committed elsewhere, whether it was the Japanese males mass rapes of chinese women in the 30’s, the roman males mass rapes against women, Rwanda, Bosnia and now of course not forgetting Iraq. All of which are men’s intense hatred of women. Often it is excused or minimalised because the women these men rape are from different ethnicities, tribes, nationalities and of course not forgetting race. However, all of these serve to excuse men’s immense hatred and contempt for women. Women who are perceived as not being one of ‘their women’ whether it is different hair colour, class or whatever, because the woman/women are ‘different.’ This is how men rationalise their hatred of women - ’she was a slug, slut, animal, sub-human, because she was not one of our women.’
Do not forget the rape of men in Abu Ghraib was only publicised because it was men’s bodies being grotesquely displayed - rape by men on women goes on unabated. One only has to recall Kink that degrading place wherein hideous sexual torture is routinely carried out by men against women. Why? Because it is all about power - men’s power over women and the other factor in respect of mass group rapes is how men behave when they become a ‘pack.’ The pack complex takes over and men are too afraid to challenge this hyper masculinity. Lastly, shooting women in the vagina unfortunately is not new, doesn’t make it any better but this particular torture has been carried out by men against women for decades now.
Once women are viewed as dehumanised beings - then anything can be committed against them because they are not human. Which explains why Heart said she had already received alerts that men (I presume it is men) were locating her post under the heading rape, rape lolitas. What does this say about men’s supposed humanity?
Jennifer - I’m receiving twice as many hits looking for ‘rape’ ‘Lolita rape’ and so on. They already make up over 90% of my search terms which also include many for ‘under age’ and incest.
I’ve worked with refugees and asylum seekers from DRCongo, Rwanda, Burundi, Afghanistan and many other troubled lands. A guess by counsellors at the project reckon that 70% of the women are rape victims and I’ve heard stories which I would not share on here. It’s not surprising that full time work is not allowed at the agency because it takes too much toil on the workers.
I’m having a rest from it at the mo, I may go back but I don’t know yet. There is only so much you can take at a time.
This is what I have had today…from my inventive little morons.
big nipples, bondage rape, big boobs, rape pussy, pussy rape, rape bondage, raping games, porn rape, rape play game, lick own pussy, forced to suck, young lolitta rape, under age rape, torture rape, FGM pics,
Much the same as any other day.
However, all of these serve to excuse men’s immense hatred and contempt for women.
This is where I stick my neck out and say that the sexism ‘trumps’ racism.
In war, the ‘gloves are off’ and it is men’s rules. It is the fundamental elements that surface, and attack on females is the most vicious. The sickening injuries that ‘the other side’ suffer, are the most vicious when directed at females.
Tell me, in Abu Ghraib, did the males get bayonettes shoved up their anuses? Did they get shot up their anuses?
Whilst being stripped and forced to wear female underwear etc, should not have happened, it was no where near the life-threatening injuries routinely suffered by the women involved in conflict.
On the side issue of course…. is being stripped is humiliation. Patriarchy would have you believe it is *empowerment*.
Not buying it.
This is a total digression here - but we are told that Google monitors our every move and what we search for etc. WTF can’t it monitor searches for ‘L*L*ta r*pe” etc and report the perps. It must be technically possible surely - I should think the chances that these guys HAVEN’T downloaded child porn is somewhere in the zeroes.
*snort*
Judging by what I’ve read, in a state of war / social collapse the first humans that are targeted for rape are girls aged 12-14. I think that says it all.
Stormy - it would seem common place that women are treated differently than men within conflicts.
Quote: a passage from one of my old posts on Guatemala.
Disclamer: I have also worked with male survivors of conflict and torture and this is not an attempt to minimise their experience.
WTF can’t it monitor searches for ‘L*L*ta r*pe” etc and report the perps.
WTF indeed. Authorities just aren’t serious about catching the ‘peddies’. The technology is there, they just choose not to use it.
There are fairly easy methods for tracking these creeps. One has to ask WHY they are not employed. (no, don’t answer.)
Sparkle; x-posted.
It seems, from any reports I have read, that the ‘torture’ element (dehumanisation) is far more pronounced for female ‘victims of war’.
This is why I go with the ’sexism trumps racism’ camp. It is mainly from the observations of what happens in ‘wartime’.
I will go all sarcastic now and say ‘wartime’ means boyz playtime. Get a reality check, and say; “get the fuck off the planet menz”.
Seriously, could the (MRA-) feared take over by women/feminists of the planet result in this much rape/violence/torture?
Only a few dudes forced to pay child support. No contest.
I vote we take over NOW. Or yesterday.
stormy - i’ve just corrected the typo
Gawd, I lost the plot.. which typo? Whose typo?
I retire for the evening now anyway, clocked up too many paid work hours. Brain dead (as of hours ago actually!)
Agree with you sparkle that women are treated differently to men wherever there is conflict (meaning war/violence). Yes, I know men have been sexually tortured too but always, always women have been singled out solely because of their gender. Men have been sexually tortured because of their political affiliations but women have particularly been singled out due to their gender and the fact sexually torturing and murdering women sends a message to their male family members and their community in general that their men cannot protect the woman. It is designed to totally destroy a certain population or ethnic group.
Yes racism/nationalism does play a part but again we must ask the question why is it always women and girls who suffer the most extreme sexual cruelties at the hands of men? Because as you wrote Sparkle concerning Guatamala the predominant male authorities do not consider these women victims to be human instead they are seen as worthless creatures. This view applies in so many violent zones worldwide and now increasing numbers of women in southern Iraq are being tortured and murdered by male bigots and yet these murders are not being reported by mainstream media.
Knowing that porn is now easily accessible globally and knowing that porn is often used to ‘heighten male soldiers’ aggression before they go into battle zones’ I would not be in the least surprised to subsequently hear the males who commit these atrocities have been viewing porn. Stan Goff an ex-military man has written and spoken out about how the US military shows porn to the military in order to desensitise the soldiers and dehumanise the ‘enemy.’ And we know it works!!
Yes, rape has long been recognized and implemented by its perpetrators as an effective means of breaking down a society and as a tactical means towards achieving military ends, this is why it is employed so intensely during attempts for ethnic cleansing. However, yes Jennifer war rape just seems to elude any retribution and rarely gets any media coverage even though it is a crime against humanity. I’ve just been reading about the orchestrated rape of Tibetan women. Tibetan nuns and other female political prisoners are repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted in efforts to demoralize the community by knowingly destroying the much-revered purity of these women. Which is of course ruining men’s purity objects.
And in regards to Stan Goff’s revelations of how porn is used in the military to deaden soldiers empathy for the ‘enemy’ and then folks turn round and say it has no effect.? Then why doesn’t the military show Gone with the Wind, or Bart Simpson and so on. No, they need to build up the dehumanisation process by showing ’other’ as less than human. It’s hardly rocket science.
I’ve just updated the main post with this video. It’s actually named - War against Women in the Congo.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/11/60minutes/main3701249.shtml
I am tired of “Race trumps sex” or “sex trumps race” arguments. The two are completely interconnected, one cannot exist without the other. White slavemasters in the US justified the dehumanization of black women and black men by raping the black women and showing the men that they could not “protect” the black women (combined with images of black men as either feminized or like children, or rapacious beastly animals). It’s all connected.
War is a tool used by men of any color to oppress men and women of any color by using women’s bodies to communicate with/to other men. That’s the key.
And I could not bring myself to look at any of the videos or pics I just cannot mentally and physically handle it. The mental images were already enough to make me want to vomit.
[...] with the intended and complete degradation of specific cultures as we have seen in Kosovo and the DR Congo (to name but a few) or now, the 20th century opportunist “sex tourist”- every ready to exploit [...]