Feminist theories on conflict-related sexual violence and Hannah Arendt’s analyses of administrative massacre and organized guilt, notably her report on Eichmann’s trial, posit that existing systems and institutions can act as preparatory measures, setting the stage for the potential occurrence of mass violence. This paper seeks to examine these two schools of thought concurrently, exploring their points of convergence and divergence in the analysis of mass-scale sexual and gender-based violence. Both perspectives move beyond a narrow focus on individual responsibility and challenge the silo(ed) approach in studying mass violence. The findings of this study reveal that these two theories underscore the role of dominant rules and norms in a specific context, acting as conducive or preparatory factors that drive perpetrators of these crimes. These norms, embedded in institutions, can normalize violence against specific groups by endorsing discrimination. Making violence routine and “business as usual,” the system can enable individuals to commit heinous crimes. Therefore, in a climate of pervasive gender inequality and normalized violence against women, those responsible for mass-scale sexual violence may be individuals known for their typicality and ordinariness rather than profound wickedness.