Media Post 1: Knowledge and Power

    In nations afflicted with war, violence and psychological trauma affect all individuals. Despite this, it is common for global media coverage and community members experiencing the conflict to place a major focus on aspects of war such as fatality tolls and geographical destruction. While those aspects of war are devastating, focusing only on them can lead to the different ways in which aggression and suffering occur remaining unacknowledged, never expressed, or actively erased. Notably, an article by Olivera Simic a journalist with ‘Balkan Insight’, titled “Addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, Ukraine Draws Lessons from Bosnia” draws attention to the very acts of violence that are excluded from both small and large-scale discussions, as well as in the process of resistance during and recovery from war. In highlighting how prevalent–and yet unknown–acts of sexual violence are in global conflicts, this article illuminates how societal values limit communication surrounding these issues. Furthermore, it demonstrates how stigma can impact certain demographics of people who experience sexual violence, while offering a hopeful path forward for all civilians affected to be heard, heal, and get justice.

    Given that acts of sexual violence in war are often driven by the intent to dehumanize and objectify the other, processing and discussing this trauma is complicated at an individual level, let alone for another individual. At a baseline, speaking up about such a vile violation of one’s autonomy requires immense courage and vulnerability. The unfortunate reality of the sexual war crimes committed in Ukraine and Bosnia is that the survivors lack the tools needed to develop the bravery to discuss their experiences, as many individuals are left without a framework to follow. Due to societal expectations surrounding shame, masculinity, purity, and preserving one’s reputation, many can not fathom the possibility of speaking out. Specifically, during the Bosnian genocide, “many women were left without...support because civil society did not speak out loudly enough after the war.”(Simic, 2025), demonstrating how awareness is a key factor in helping others understand their traumas. Without awareness, survivors of sexual violence are left unempowered which then establishes a feedback loop in which few/nobody speaks up and no opportunities for reflection and gaining an understanding of these issues arise.

    These patterns of people's lived experiences staying hidden and misunderstood is encompassed by Miranda Fricker’s notion of “hermeneutical injustice” (Fricker, 2007) in which a community lacks a shared set of knowledge and as a result suppresses the lived experiences of those who are not included in it. Working to push back on these injustices often entails representing them in an institutional context, or generally working to add credibility to the voices that have been minimized. This is complicated by the fact that the collective knowledge made available to the community members of a society is dependent on who has held the power to influence others and be perceived as credible. Power is linked to institutions and has not always been earned ethically. Consequently, this may create contradictions, as the personal reports of those who survived sexual violence may not be considered valid by those in power. In Fricker's words, this may result in a “testimonial injustice” (Fricker, 2007) in which those in power may perceive those who tell their experiences as less than due to harmful stereotypes, and those giving their testimony may then become intentionally devalued. This manifests differently in the treatment of men vs. women who come forward. Both suffer from a lack of shared knowledge/awareness of the concern existing, but men face a larger societal stigma. While sexual violence is an issue that disproportionately affects women, men are uniquely held back in expressing their experiences. Societal understanding of men as strong, powerful, masculine, and stioc/angry (heightened in Slavic cultures!) that typically afford them access to positions of power, also make them less likely to be respected or believed if they open up. Being the victim of sexual violence differs from this norm as they are the victim of something only thought to occur to women/that culturally is understood as something that shouldn’t be and isn't openly discussed. In this context, men experience a unique form of “credibility deficit” (Crichton et al., 2017) in that they are viewed as less believable as they now embody “negative stereotype[s]” (Crichton et al., 2017) about women. Counteracting exclusionary stereotypes and communication involves centering humanity and dignity in transitional justice. Specifically, initiatives like “ reparation laws…[and] comprehensive psychosocial support” (Simic, 2025) provide a framework that incentivizes healing and works to counteract shame by treating growth from trauma as a normal and legally supported process.