Even today, she says, rape is still employed by the military against local women as an instrument of terror. Last summer, Indonesia was struck by a wave of protests against the rule of President Suharto. While many sympathized with their goal, the protestors also took the opportunity to vent their rage against Indonesia's Chinese minority, which had flourished economically under Suharto. They chose rape to make their point, showing how sexual violence against women can even be used as an instrument of political revenge. These terrible acts were monitored with great courage by the Volunteers Team for Humanity.
Domestic violence is prevalent throughout the region, according to participants.
One reason is Cambodia's legacy of political violence. Up to two million Cambodians died from exhaustion, starvation, and forced labor during the era of the Khmer Rouge. Coming after a decade of war, this unleashed a culture of violence that still takes a toll on women. I have eaten human liver raw. The same is true of migrant workers.