Dressed Up, Stripped Down: Media Depictions of Conflict Rape

This chapter explores the visual depiction of conflict rape through the photographic representation of survivors published in major American media. It looks at how aesthetic approaches to documenting gender violence are influenced by imperial framing, the attention economy and the role of humanitarian organizations in the depoliticization of narratives. The chapter critiques recent examples of media companies and journalists who validate ethical and aesthetic practices in reporting on gender violence through the redefinition of the photographic encounter from one of documentation to one of liberation