What Transforms Ordinary People into Gross Human Rights Violators?

This chapter focuses on the transformation process that turns ordinary people into gross human rights violators. It shows that ordinary and natural reactions of ordinary and average people to very specific circumstances almost inevitably result in turning these people into perpetrators of gross human rights violations. The chapter discusses some attention to how perpetrators look back on their crimes. It explains the dynamics surrounding the perpetrator during the all-decisive moment and why and how some perpetrators find a way to quit and include a section on how perpetrators look back. Most perpetrators or gross human rights violators are ordinary people and within specific circumstances all ordinary people can become gross human rights violators. Most perpetrators are members of some kind of militaristic unit. The process of accustoming recruits to violence is continued during the initiation phase, but in a more deliberate way.