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Rape
Rape is defined as sexual intercourse against a person’s will. Most experts
believe the primary cause of rape is an aggressive desire to dominate the
victim rather than an attempt to achieve sexual fulfillment. They consider
rape an act of violence rather than principally a sexual encounter.
Women who are raped suffer a sense of violation that goes beyond physical
injury. They may become distrustful of men and experience feelings of shame,
humiliation, and loss of privacy. Victims who suffer rape trauma syndrome
experience physical symptoms such as headaches, sleep disturbances, and
fatigue. They may also develop psychological disturbances related to the
circumstances of the rape, such as intense fears. Fear of being raped has
social as well as personal consequences.
GLOPEC, making use of the cross-UN initiative, the UN Action Against Sexual
Violence in Conflict, to:
- Generate public awareness on the growing use of sexual violence as a
weapon of warfare, and how to prevent it;
- End impunity for perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict;
- Improve and scale up services for survivors;
- Address the longer term impacts of sexual violence on communities
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