Two opinion pieces address issues to be discussed this week at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Devex: Sexual violence affects not just women and girls
Emma Pomfret, press officer for East, Central, and South Africa at ChristianAid, and Chantal Daniels, an expert in the field of fragile state development, security sector intervention, gender, sexual violence, and peace building

“…Ascribing sexual violence simply to female victims and male perpetrators only covers part of the dynamic, while reinforcing traditional gender stereotypes. Both sexes, meanwhile, have a role to play in combating the practice. Women can be proponents of change by forming support groups and taking their cases to court; men, even combatants, can help discourage, address and report sexual violence themselves…” (6/9).

Thomson Reuters Foundation: Admirable aims, but let’s deal with realities of rape in war
John Lotspeich, Marie Stopes International global director of communications

“…[A]s we take action this week to end the scourge of sexual violence in conflict, we ask too that we prepare for the reality. Women will continue to be raped in war. As a global community, we will continue to offer humanitarian aid. Let us consider then all the ways we can help those caught up in conflict. Let us be there for them, even after the worst has happened” (6/9).