Fractured Identities: Sexual Violence and The Struggle for Dignity in Women War Literature

Abstract

In war-torn societies, the collapse of legal and moral structures often gives rise to extreme violations of human dignity, with women frequently targeted through gender-based violence. This paper examines how literature set in conflict zones portrays the specific vulnerabilities of women and their resistance to dehumanization. Through a close reading of Nadia Hashimi’s The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, Chinelo Okparanta’s Under the Udala Trees, Bushra Al-Maqtari’s What Have You Left Behind?, and Susan Abulhawa’s Mornings in Jenin, this paper explores the intersections of gender based violence, cultural disintegration, and human dignity. These narratives underscore the power of storytelling as a means of reclaiming voice, identity, and dignity in the face of systemic violence.