被禁止的性行为与性暴力

性暴力: 强奸: 历史记载 3

在许多国家，持续数十年的法律改革为强奸的受害人赢得了较为有利的公平对待，现在也为他们提供了更为有效的法律保护。为了证明他们没有同意发生性行为，他们不再必须在法庭上证实他们“反抗到了最大的限度”。此外，法律本身现在常常采取性别中立的解说形式，诸如运用于两性的术语“性攻击（sexual assault）”，并且具有另外涵盖所有性暴力形式的法律有利条款，而并不仅仅只有强制性交的法律条款。

1998年采取了另一个非常重要的举措，当时，联合国卢旺达刑事特别法庭判决性暴力为一项战争罪行。自从有史料记载以来，强奸就已经是战争的手段，而且这在《圣经》里也有所提到。与别的战争手段比较更为恶劣的是，强奸差不多是一种行得通的用来达到羞辱敌人的目的的手段，尤其是在敌国的被强奸妇女可能受孕和被迫生养多余的孩子的情况下，则更是一种羞辱的有效手段。古代的波斯、希腊和罗马军队按照惯例会强奸他们所占领的城市里的妇女和年轻男子。不过，在基督教盛行的中世纪，就颁布了第一条军规，开始禁止和惩罚这种行为。然而，正如每一位历史学学者，甚至每一位报纸读者所了解的一样，常常随着军事长官的一声令下，强奸一直发生在许许多多的战争之中直至今日。在这种类型的暴力被有效置于控制之下之前，它也许要持续许久，不过卢旺达特别法庭至少开创了一个制止这类暴力的成功在望的判例。

强奸与战争
上图显示特洛伊之战中的一段情节：埃杰克斯(Ajax)为了强奸卡珊德拉(Cassandra)，把她拖出了寺庙。(古希腊花瓶画，公元前4世纪。) 

Rape and Warfare
The picture shows an episode from the Trojan War: Ajax drags Cassandra out of the temple in order to rape her. (Ancient Greek vase painting, 4th century BC)

Prohibited Sexual Behavior and Sexual Violence

Sexual Violence: Rape: Historical Notes 3

In many countries the law reforms of the last few decades have resulted in greater fairness and now offer more protection to the victims of rape. They no longer have to prove in court that they “resisted to the utmost” in order to prove their lack of consent. Furthermore, the laws themselves now often use gender-neutral definitions, such as “sexual assault” which apply to both sexes and have the additional advantage of including all forms of sexual violence, not only forcible coitus.
Another, very important step was taken in 1998, when the United Nations Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda made sexual violence a war crime. Rape has been an instrument of war since the dawn of history, and as such it is already mentioned in the Bible. More than anything else, it serves the purpose of humiliating the enemy as much as possible, especially if the women can be impregnated and forced to bear the unwanted children. The ancient Persian, Greek and Roman armies routinely raped women and young men in the cities they conquered. In the Christian Middle Ages, however, the first military codes began to prohibit and punish such conduct. Nevertheless, as every student of history and indeed every newspaper reader knows, it has continued in many wars until today, often with the encouragement of military leaders. It may be a long time before this kind of violence is effectively brought under control, but the Rwanda tribunal has at least set a promising precedent.