Colonialism in Africa: the impact on sexual and gender-based violence

Authors

  • Haliston Lake Florida Atlantic University
  • Kristin Shockley Florida Atlantic University

Abstract

This project seeks to investigate how colonialism has influenced sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Previous studies within the discipline of political science have not given enough attention to the role that historical experiences—notably colonialism—play in the causes of and responses to SGBV. While many scholars argue that the Rwandan genocide was the catalyst for SGBV in the DRC, this paper argues that the colonization of the DRC is when the country’s issue of widespread sexual violence first became normalized. Further, the most influential framework for analyzing SGBV has been the weapon of war frame which argues that rape is a strategy of war, which minimizes and isolates sexual and gender-based violence before and after active armed conflict. Thus, this analysis offers an alternate framework for approaching the origins and potential solutions to SGBV, seeking to fill this gap in the literature. Although focused mainly on the DRC, the need for greater attention to the impact of colonialism on SGBV also has implications for other African states with similar colonial experiences.

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Published

2022-10-18

Issue

Vol. 11 (2022): FAU Undergraduate Research Journal

Section

Articles

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