Gender-based violence in the Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide, orchestrated by the Ottoman Empire, was one of the most significant large-scale massacres of the early 20th century. Genocides often employ gender-based violence (GBV) to maximize their impact. During the Armenian Genocide, GBV was not merely incidental but a deliberate strategy to dismantle the Armenian social fabric. Women and girls were systematically targeted because of their roles as bearers of culture, identity and future generations. By inflicting sexual violence, the perpetrators aimed to dehumanize Armenians, destroy familial structures and erase their cultural identity. The Armenian case offers a chilling example of how gendered violence amplifies the devastating effects of genocide.

Rape during the Armenian Genocide was not isolated or opportunistic; it was systematic and widespread, serving as a psychological weapon to terrorize and humiliate. Reports documented by survivors and relief workers reveal how women were abducted during deportation marches and subjected to repeated sexual violence. Ottoman soldiers and local collaborators deliberately targeted young girls, mothers and even elderly women. Survivors have recounted harrowing stories of being assaulted in public or in front of their families. As Peter Balakian documents in The Burning Tigris, these acts were part of a calculated effort to strip women of their dignity and instill terror within the Armenian community.