Customer Reviews

War Is Not Over When It's Over: Women Speak Out from the Ruins of War

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Ann Jones has worked as a gender advisor to the UN and has written much concerning the violence done to women; she has been the victim of domestic violence herself from her medal winning father. In this book she works with the International Rescue Committee to investigate what happens to women because of warfare. She gave cameras to women to document their lives and conditions. Her descriptions of women, when given these cameras, who had never even seen one before and the empowerment it brings them will bring a smile to any face.
She relates what happened in Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Congo, Burmese refuges in Thailand, and Iraqi refugees in parts of the middle east. In some instances the project seemed to be successful in lessening the violence that happens to women; but the main effect of reading this book will be to show that with peace, many times violence still comes home to women and children. They are forgotten after war. I do wish there would have been more reference that this happens no matter where you are in the world; although the horrors done to women in some parts of the world, no matter how young they are, being brutally assaulted is almost too horrid to read. For too long women and children have been forgotten concerning these dreadful attacks, no matter what the country or war.

From the first page of the introduction you are drawn in, repulsed, saddened and horrified. It is not an easy subject, but it is reality for all too many. It is a fact that in wars, civilians die in higher numbers than soldiers, but they are also the first victims and too often remain silent because of fear and shame. Men seem to stop attacking each other and then pick the easy targets. The point is driven home that the shame of this violence continues because of the thought that they must have done something to deserve it. Even at that, Ann Jones says there are stores she left out because they are too hard to take. It is hard to imagine after reading of the mutilations and horrors that many women, even at unbelievably young ages, live with everyday - yet they are made to feel they are the evil ones, if they live through it.
There are some pictures in the reading, but there really should have been more.

There were some changes brought about, some so simple as a refugee committee realizing that, yes it might be important to have separate bathing facilities for men and women. This is a tough subject and makes for some difficult reading but it is a book and subject that more should be aware of.

This is an unprecendeted account of women and girls experiences of war, violence, resilience and healing by those directly affected. Ann Jones's work, facilitated in part by the International Rescue Committee, has helped to bring voice to those most deeply affected by war and violence. The stories of the women and girls in this book - told through their photographs, is compelling, disturbing, deep and shows the depth of women's individual and collective strength and determination.

Thank you for bringing the realities of women and girl's experiences in a war zone to the public eye.