The Political Economy of Violence against Women

374 Pages·2012·1.87 MB·English

by  Jacqui True

The Political Economy of Violence
against Women
Oxford Studies in Gender and International Relations
Series editors: J. Ann Tickner, University of Southern California, and
Laura Sjoberg, University of Florida
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Catia Cecilia Confortini
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Militarism and Peacekeeping
Annica Kronsell
The Political Economy of Violence
against Women
JACQUI TRUE
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
True, Jacqui.
The political economy of violence against women / Jacqui True.
p. cm.—(Oxford studies in gender and international relations)
ISBN 978-0-19-975592-9 (hardcover : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-0-19-
975591-2 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Women—Violence against. 2. Sex discrimination against women.
3. Sex crimes. 4. Women and war. 5. Women—Social conditions. I. Title.
HV6250.4.W65T78 2012
362.82′92—dc23 2012001769
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
To past, present, and future women’s human rights
defenders in every place—for their bravery and courage,
and for never giving up on the aspiration of a dignified life
for all women.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
CHAPTER 1 From Domestic Violence to War Crimes: The Political Economy
of Violence against Women
CHAPTER 2 What Has Poverty Got to Do With It? Feminist Frameworks for
Analyzing Violence against Women
CHAPTER 3 Losing Entitlement, Regaining Control: Masculinities and
Competitive Globalization
CHAPTER 4 Crossing Borders to Make Ends Meet: Sex Trafficking, the Maid
Trade, and Other Gendered Forms of Labor Exploitation
CHAPTER 5 New Spaces of Gender Violence: Economic Transition and Trade
Liberalization
CHAPTER 6 Boom, Bust, and Beating: International Financial Institutions,
Crises, and Violence against Women
CHAPTER 7 Old and New Tactics of War: Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict
CHAPTER 8 Rebuilding With or Without Women? Gendered Violence in
Postconflict Peace and Reconstruction
CHAPTER 9 Who Suffers Most? Gendered Violence in Natural Disasters and
their Aftermath
CHAPTER 10 Conclusion: Researching Violence against Women—The Point
is to End it . . .
Notes
References
Index
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THIS BOOK HAS BEEN a long time in the making. I began research on it while I
worked with Yakin Ertürk, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence
Against Women, on her report to the Human Rights Council on the political
economy of women’s human rights in 2008. This was a challenging experience
conceptually and empirically. I am indebted to Yakin for her wisdom and vision
of bridging political economy and human rights frameworks and for inspiring
me to write this book. During that time I surveyed UN member-state parties,
scholars, and activists worldwide to see how far and in what ways there was
recognition in policy and practice of the political economy roots of violence
against women. I learned a lot from the responses to that survey and much
appreciated the help I received from many fellow researchers. They opened the
door for me to the rich, interdisciplinary body of research, often
underappreciated, from all parts of the world on women’s economic and social
status and their vulnerability to violence. I was also able to see just how far
states and other nonstate actors have to go in fulfilling their obligations to end
violence against women.
I wish to thank the University of Auckland, New Zealand, for providing
the research support that allowed me the time and assistance to write this
book, and particularly Professor Barry Reay for encouraging this research
agenda while chair of the Faculty of Arts Research Committee. I also want
to thank Phillipa Norman, my research assistant in the final stages of
writing this book. It was a great joy to work with her and share both some
of the troubling findings of this research and its purpose. Phillipa’s
professionalism and enthusiasm for the project greatly helped me complete
it in the context of my imminent move to Australia and Monash University.
I presented aspects of this book and its argument at numerous national and
international conferences and meetings with scholars, activists, and
policymakers, including at expert meetings held at the Office for the High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva. I would like to
thank in particular for their feedback, encouragement, and wealth of
knowledge Megan Mackenzie; Bina DaCosta; Brooke Ackerly; Ann
Tickner; Lisa Prugl; Ann Orford; Hilary Charlesworth; Madeleine Rees;
Francoise Roth; Lois Herbert of the Battered Women’s Trust, Christchurch;