When Laws and Representation Are Not Enough: Enduring Impunity and Post-Conflict Sexual Violence in Liberia and Sierra Leone

Throughout the course of history, literature and examination on the impact of civil war has focused little on women, especially in the cases of wartime rape. While the factors which sustain wartime rape are examined with frequency, using gender as an analytical lens, the analysis regarding post-conflict sexual violence and rape is studied far less, leading to the question: what factors are correlated with the continuance of widespread acts of rape even after the cessation of official conflict? Liberia and Sierra Leone suffered high levels of both wartime rape and also post-conflict sexual violence. This comparative case study, using process tracing and the congruence method tests the hypothesis that governments in which there are high levels of female representation will be associated with lower levels of impunity for sexual assault and this will result in lower levels of sexual violence. This study finds that the presence of a female head of state in Liberia does not simply equate to lower levels of sexual violence. The existence of a female president does not necessarily reflect (or translate into) changed gender relations. The passing of laws and the implementation of these laws, such as those in Sierra Leone, will affect women’s lives more positively.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

International and Comparative Politics

Grantor dc:publisher

Wright State University

Year dc:date

2012

Author dc:creator

• Kitchen, Ashley D.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Green, December

• Political Science
• International Relations
• wartime rape
• post-conflict sexual violence
• domestic violence
• civil war
• gender
• impunity
• female representation
• Liberia
• Sierra Leone

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1363784056

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:wright1363784056