Women Under Siege Project

The Women Under Siege Project is an independent initiative of the Women's Media Center (WMC). The project documents online and through social media how rape and gender-based violence are used as tools in warfare and genocide. The project uses journalism to investigate and bring to light these issues which impact women throughout the world, but especially in areas of conflict. The director of Women Under Siege, Lauren Wolfe, has said that the first step to challenging rape is to stop victim blaming and to focus on the perpetrators and the cultures that produce them. The director of Women Under Siege is Lauren Wolfe and the associate editor for Women Under Siege is Shazdeh Omari. The project is organized under the WMC, but operates independently, with contributions coming from individuals, corporations and foundations.

Women, and sometimes men, who are in areas of combat are at risk of being used as a tool of warfare. Rape and sexual violence are used in order to humiliate and intimidate individuals, families and groups of people. Sometimes commanders and leaders of troops consider women to be "a spoil of war."

The issue of stopping rape and sexual violence during wartime is problematic because it has remained "profoundly invisible." Even in countries which have support systems to help victims, rape and sexual violence are under-reported. Additionally, many women decide against accusing their attackers because of the legal process, feel shame, fear stigma or are worried they will be disbelieved. It is even worse for women in war zones and refugee camps. Many women in areas of conflict are terrified of talking about being sexually assaulted. Because these crimes are unreported or are effectively invisible, they are not addressed.