| dc.description.abstract | The objectives of the project are to determine the use of rape as a weapon in
the Mt. Elgon conflict, its effectiveness as a weapon and its impact on society.
The study used the strategic rape theory which propagates that sexual violence
is calculated and premeditated to achieve a certain end. This theory was
complemented by the conflict theory of sexual stratification which bases the
roots of violence towards women as a consequence of societal stratification that
exalts male domination which manifests in the battle field through the violation
of women.
The study was carried out in Kapsokwony, Cheptais and Kopsiro Divisions.
Primary and secondary data was used in the study. Secondary sources
included books, scholarly journals and articles from the University of Nairobi’s
Jomo Kenyatta Library as well as newspaper and magazine articles and Non
Governmental Organization reports. Primary sources included women and men
victims of the violence as well as former Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF)
militia men (fifty seven in total) in the area that were targeted through the snow
- balling technique. This data was collected using interviews, focused group
discussions and open ended questionnaires. This data was then analyzed and
conclusions reached.
The study established that rape was the ultimate weapon of terror and the
SLDF used it to their advantage. Rape when wielded as a weapon is often used
to terrorize the masses and demoralize the enemy in a way only sexual violence
can do. Rape is the violation of the woman. It signals the enemy’s failure as a
man to protect his woman. It is an effective way to dishearten and break the
enemy’s resistance. Physical weapons, such as pangas and guns, were used
but they were not as damaging as rape as a weapon. A broken leg heals faster
than a broken heart or spirit which is exactly why rape was used. This is
because it has destructive effects. In the Mt. Elgon conflict, rape achieved what
bullets and guns could not; humiliation, abject fear and total submission of the
enemy.
The study concludes that sexual violence not only affected the women but the
entire society. It not only impacts the victim, but the perpetrator as well. They
both grapple with the wide range of consequences that have shattered the
values and integrity of the Mt. Elgon community. These ramifications run from
social issues, such as the rise of prostitution and divorce, to physical impacts
like miscarriages, disabilities or diseases like HIV to psychological results like
depression, low self esteem and even suicide. These and a host of other
consequences have indeed torn the fabric of the Mt. Elgon community in terms
of trust, security and harmony. | en |
