Department of Old and New Testament

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Browsing Department of Old and New Testament by Subject "Abusive men"

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    Unmanned and unmade : uncovering violence, emasculation, and shame in Nahum 3
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-02 ) O'Malley, Mel Baars; Claassens, L. Juliana M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation explores the intersection of cultural trauma and masculinity in the book of Nahum to better understand the sexual violence described in the text. God’s rape of Nineveh, and by extension, the king of Assyria and his army of warriors, is deeply problematic. However, avoiding and ignoring this text misses an opportunity to understand the book of Nahum as a survival narrative, written in response to trauma and disaster in the Judean community. This violent portrayal offers a glimpse into the real experience of emasculation of male survivors of sexual trauma, not only in the past, but also in the present. Exploring what male survivors endure in Nahum provides particular insight into the experience of male survivors of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) today. This study seeks to illuminate the connections between warriors of the past and of the present who share common ground and to understand the loss of identity, both of maleness and of vocation, which ensues in the aftermath of rape. Nahum demonstrates the insidious power of patriarchy and the enduring problem of hegemonic masculinity. By exploring constructs of gender, it becomes clear that when a man, especially a warrior, is raped, either as a show of power or after being defeated on the battlefield, he undergoes an unmanning process. In essence, he is no longer a man. The experience of emasculation is traumatic and causes a male survivor to become isolated not only from God and others but also from himself. Neglecting Nahum’s story denies the reality concerning male rape, which remains hidden to this day. Consequently, survivors are often cut off from needed social support which could contribute to the recovery journey. Uncovering Nahum and its horrific violence is an opportunity to see spiritual and emotional wounds that have been buried for far too long. Interpreting the violence in this book through the lens of cultural trauma empowers the reader to better understand the male survivor’s journey including emasculation, shame, and isolation. With this knowledge unearthed, the journey of healing may become possible. For those with the courage to read it, Nahum’s survival story is, and has been, a teacher of trauma’s truths over the millennia. By reading Nahum and contemplating its implications for male survivors, the rarely discussed consequences of sexual violence against men can be more fully recognized and addressed.