Paper long abstract:

This paper reflects upon ongoing fieldwork in the landscape of sexual violence in the DR Congo, it draws attention to agency, violence, personhood, emotions and internal as well as external understanding of sexual violence in conflict. DR Congo have been worldwide recognized by international actors and media as a region where sexual violence is used "as a weapon of war" and women's situation is constantly described internationally in the vocabulary of 'victim', 'vulnerability', 'fear', 'pain' while the grammar of manhood is described as 'perpetrator', 'aggression' and 'power'. As seen in the DR Congo, international organisations disregard cultural and traditional implications, such as, local attention to imaginary and parallel worlds, the role of good and the evil and witchcraft in conflict which will be discussed is linked to rape and ongoing violence. This paper combines internal and external conceptions of rape in conflict and (1.) it investigates the local performances of self and understandings of identity formations in"rape effected communities" within the context of sexual violence and conflict. (2.) Critically examines the purpose and use of political "emotions" by international actors and their motives behind making the private (rape) public.