Finding the man in the soldier-rapist: Some reflections on comprehension and accountability

Drawing on research into war rape in the former Yugoslavia, this article co nsiders a means of comprehending the motives of perpetrators. It argues tha t they are neither mad nor bad but ordinary men acting out of comprehensibl e motives. It further argues that to the extent that perpetrators act out o f choice, they can and should be held accountable for their acts of sexual violence. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.