ABSTRACT
This chapter explains women's experiences of two cases of genocide in Kurdistan-Iraq. Genocide is a violent process of destruction and rupture that leads to the creation of a traumatized and disconnected underclass. It feeds off widespread negative perceptions of particular groups and enhances the social and political inequalities already inherent in a society. The chapter discusses the Anfal genocide in 1988 and the Ezidi genocide in 2014 with a particular focus on sexual violence. It also discusses problems associated with the essentialist approach to gender in relation to genocide studies and shed light on the more recent theoretical developments resulting from it. The chapter highlights the dominant narratives' different positions on sexual violence and the consequences for women survivors. For both groups, the possibilities of speaking out, seeking help and healing are shaped by their communities' dominant discourses and attitudes.
