Mandy Oviatt

Sexualized Violence in Vietnam War Films Mandy Oviatt

Rape and sexual violence is a common theme in literature and film surrounding war, in particular the Vietnam War. Whether the soldier is portrayed as either hero, villain, or both, there is frequently an element of sexual trauma inflicted on someone within the story. The focus in this book not to determine the frequency of rape, or the number of rapes that occurred during the Vietnam War. Instead, I seek to discuss the socialization processes that encouraged rape proclivities, the link between sex and violence that enhances the opportunity to rape, the rationales behind rape in Vietnam, and to show how films about the Vietnam War accurately portrayed these processes. For this book, I examine the films Platoon (1986) Casualties of War (1989) and Full Metal Jacket (1989).