Crying shame: war crimes, sexual violence, and the cost of ‘speaking out’
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Date
2015
Authors
Sedgwick, James Burnham
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Retelling violence can heal. It can also hurt. Post-Second World War exigency silenced
numerous victims of sexual violence. The legacy of this ‘silence’ and the brutality of
the crimes remain divisive in Asia. Yet, when breaking silence, victims pay a martyr’s
price. Their trauma appropriated for wider agendas. Personal suffering commodified
as national pain. Scarred bodies and psyches used as criminal evidence. In the hands
of others, memories take on currency beyond personal pain and outside circles of
healing. In courts, testimonies become valued only for probative worth and legal
weight. Politicians use trauma as diplomatic leverage. Restitution claims monetise
scales of suffering. No simple formula exists for trauma’s emotional arithmetic.
Sharing experiences can provide relief, even release. However, this article shows that,
in crying shame, survivors also pay a steep cost for speaking out. For some, it may be
better to keep silent.
Description
Keywords
Trauma, Sexual violence, Memory
Citation
Sedgwick, J. B. (2015). Crying shame: war crimes, sexual violence, and the cost of'speaking out': special issue. Acta Academica: Silence after violence and the imperative to'speak out', 47(1), 60-77.