Resexualization of violence in the Russian-Ukraine War

The chapter investigates the topic of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and gendercide in the Russian-Ukraine war. The analysis focuses on women’s status in the armed conflict since February 24, 2022. The Author addresses the question of whether or not femininity and masculinity are correlated with the cruelty of war and with the redistribution of militarism. The gender order co-determinates the prestige, privileges in families, societal and political system, peace and security, however, it is reshaped in armed conflicts. Despite the existence in Russia and in Ukraine of basic structural solutions to gender equality and to a limited extent of female empowerment, the war is a symptom of unresolved problems and deep prejudice. The role of a man as an oppressor and that of a woman as a victim arise from the universal acceptance of this state of affairs by both sexes, that is, perceiving power through the prism of violence management. Conflict-related sexual violence is rooted in patriarchal societies and is strongly supported by culture, religion, nationalism, abuse of power, and imperial ambitions. The findings underscore reducing SGBV might be effectively enforced by societal informal movements, female initiatives, and the promotion of “sisterhood” with a strong emphasis on restorative justice.