(Or the third of a series)
Rape of women in the times of war is unavoidable, one of my classes in UP (or maybe UPIS) discussed. It is symbolic of the taking a place, a symbol of overpowering a nation, an exertion of power. That's why in history they call it "the rape of <insert place here>." And as it is said, rape is more of a crime of power than a sexual crime. During World War II, the Japanese army even established the infamous "comfort stations"-- military-controlled facilities for sexual slavery created especially for the Japanese soldiers-- after the large scale rape of women and girls they committed in Nanking, China. [1]
That's the most horrible thing I ever "learned" in a classroom. War sucks, and it does even more when you're a woman. The scary part is that it is the soldiers that commit most of it. They who have been trained to be disciplined commit the most atrocious acts. That's when you're certain war brings out the worst in humanity.
The Bontok waged wars, and frequently, for the smallest reasons: revenge, property disputes, etc. They were head-hunters. I don't remember if the film elaborates on this, but there are pictures depicting how they displayed in their villages the heads of the enemies they decapitated. What the film does emphasize is that even in the times of war, rape was unthinkable to the Bontok.
This needs to be qualified. The Bontok waged wars with other non-Bontok tribes and with fellow Bontok tribes. War with non-Bontok groups would be different due to different belief systems and traditions. But it was certain that in Bontok vs. Bontok wars, rape was unthinkable. The following explains why.
Men for war
War was exclusively for men. Only men were allowed to go to war. The Bontok believed that women should not be killed or die in war for from them comes life, as they are the only ones that give birth. Moreover (though the film does not give this as an explanation, I think this may also serve as one) it is the women who are supposed to place the seeds of their crops in the ground (more about this in another post) to yield a bountiful harvest. Hence, women were left in the safety of their communities to care for the household, the fields and the children.
It wasn't specified, but this implies that the Bontok did not attack the villages during war. Battles were held outside the village. I think this is a reasonable assumption because they wouldn't want to be around women during war, not only because of the mentioned importance of women but because women had "superpowers" they wouldn't want to mess with.
Women's escape
If a woman somehow finds herself caught in a battle, all she has to do is lift up her skirt, while cursing, to flash the enemies her genitals. I don't know if the cursing is necessary, but it is a natural reaction when one finds oneself in such predicament. The enemies would then retreat in fear. They believed that if they continue, bad things will befall them such as death, or defeat in that battle because they have seen something they shouldn't have. One must not gaze at where he came from; female genitals should not be looked at.
This is the strangest thing I've ever heard. A group of men see a naked woman (they are topless, by the way), and they flee. She just flashed them something they shouldn't see, something that would bring them bad luck and they don't even think of capturing her for revenge, even if they outnumber her. They can't rape her in the open field, or they'd anger the spirits, but they can bring her to their village and maybe create some sort of edifice for that purpose, just as the Japanese did. Yet, they don't. They flee. She's an enemy and it's totally possible to rape someone without looking at their genitals. There's even no prohibition and punishment for rape in their law so they have nothing to worry about. Yet, they still don't. What's with these people?
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