AGMI researchers expose the hidden role of female perpetrators in the Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide Museum‑Institute (AGMI) has announced the publication of a pioneering article, “In the Shadow of Genocide: Female Perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide,” in the international journal Women’s History Review.

Authored by Drs. Edita Gzoyan, Elina Mirzoyan and Regina Galustyan, the study explores a largely overlooked aspect of the Armenian Genocide: the role of women as active participants and perpetrators. Drawing on rare archival materials, survivor testimonies and contemporary accounts, the research reveals how gender, ideology and power intersected in processes of violence and complicity during the genocide.

20th-century genocides challenge the notion that women are inherently “peaceful,” showing that women, too, could engage in incitement, propaganda and direct acts of violence. This study addresses a significant gap in Armenian Genocide scholarship by examining the involvement of Turkish women. Using oral and written testimonies, memoirs and other sources, the researchers demonstrate that women participated in a spectrum of actions — from incitement and propaganda to direct killings — and highlight forms of institutional participation that warrant further investigation.

By foregrounding women’s involvement, the study contributes to more holistic approaches in genocide research and underscores the importance of including female perpetrators in comprehensive analyses of the Armenian Genocide.

“This study sheds light on a profoundly underexplored dimension of the Armenian Genocide,” said Dr. Edita Gzoyan, director of AGMI. “Examining women as perpetrators broadens the historical record and challenges simplified perceptions of victimhood, complicity and agency. It offers a more nuanced understanding of the complex roles, motivations and dynamics that shaped the genocide,” she continued.