Although this chapter focuses on rape of women in conflict situations, women have experienced other forms of violence during conflict situations. In our original 1992 report we also documented murders of women leaders. Since the arrest of its leader, Abimael Guzmán, in September 1992, the Shining Path has operated at a greatly decreased level but it remains active.162 Within the framework of Shining Path ideology, sex discrimination is prohibited. Men and women are considered equal, the only distinction being class and whether or not an individual has accepted a role in the so-called people's wars. In addition, an informal Shining Path code of conduct explicitly forbids "men to sexually molest women and women should also avoid sexually molesting men."163
Nevertheless, rape by male cadres of female civilians has been documented. Generally, it has occurred in areas contested by guerrillas and the security forces, where women believe they have to submit because of threats or overwhelming armed strength. To refuse would risk being labelled uncooperative and potentially hostile to the guerrillas' political goals. Few have sought to report rape afterwards, fearing retaliation or that their neighbors or the security forces would assume they are senderistas.
That was the case of Marcelina, who lives near Huamanga, Ayacucho and speaks only Quechua. One night in 1989, a man forced his way into her home and threatened her with a knife. He claimed that he was a member of the Shining Path and that his fellow cadres, waiting outside, would kill her if she screamed. He told her that their commander wanted her to climb to the puna, the high-altitude desert, and cook for the unit, which was preparing to celebrate his birthday. Then he raped her.164
That morning, I went and told my father what had happened. I was afraid too that they would find my twelve-year-old daughter [and rape her]. I reported this to the local authorities, but they said to me, "What can we do?". . .I did not tell the police this because I was afraid they would arrest me. One judge said to me, "Why pick a fight with them? Just report the things that were stolen."
Marcelina became pregnant as a result of the rape and gave birth to a boy. In 1991 the civil defense patrol in her town captured two senderistas, one of whom was the rapist. The civil defense leader who questioned the man says he admitted the rape and paternity of the boy. He later escaped, however, and to their knowledge has never been punished.
162 On May 23, 1995, the Shining Path exploded a car bomb in Miraflores, a wealthy suburb of Lima. The apparent target was a tourist hotel.
163 These rules are not necessarily distributed to all militants nor equally enforced. Juan Lázaro, "Women and Political Violence in Peru," Dialectical Anthropology, vol. 15 (1990), pp. 233-47.
164 Interview, Ayacucho, July 4, 1992.
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