Our Bodies Their Battlefield

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‘A wake-up call … These women’s stories will make you weep, and then rage at the world's indifference.’ Amal Clooney. This major account addresses the scale of rape and sexual violence in modern conflict. The author, an award-winning war reporter with over thirty years of experience, gives voice to women in conflicts, revealing how rape is weaponized by armies, terrorists, and militias to humiliate and oppress. Through firsthand accounts from survivors, the narrative highlights the suffering and bravery of women in war and those fighting for justice. It spans historical and contemporary conflicts, from the enslavement of ‘comfort women’ during World War Two to the Rwandan genocide, where an estimated quarter of a million women were raped, and the plight of Yazidi women enslaved by ISIS. The author uncovers remarkable stories of heroism, including Bosnian women who have pursued war criminals, an Aleppo beekeeper rescuing Yazidis, and a Congolese doctor dedicated to treating rape victims. While rape may be as old as war, it is a preventable crime. Bearing witness may not stop it from happening again, but it dispels the excuse that the world simply didn’t know.