A new report has been issued in the International Review of the Red Cross that details the consequences of sexual violence for women in armed conflicts, both on an individual and societal level, with a focus on resultant mental health issues. The report covers the various consequences often faced by women who are victims of sexual assault, including rejection by her family, impaired parenting skills, exclusion from schools and jobs, being viewed as unfit for marriage, forced marriages, and violence or murder. Children resulting from a rape are also frequently abandoned or ill-treated. According to the report, rape often has a lasting negative impact on the victim's perception of herself and her surrounding world, which manifests in a variety of forms.
Compiled from: 'They Came with Two Guns': The Consequences of Sexual Assault for the Mental Health of Women in Armed Conflicts, International Committee of the Red Cross, WUNRN.com (7 September 2010).