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CIAO Focus, September 2013: Sexual Violence in Conflict and Post-Conflict Zones
Conflict-related sexual violence has been a feature of war for generations, and in many places around the world. In recent years, however, members of the international community including, United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action), governments, humanitarian organizations, grassroots movements, and researchers, have challenged the notion that rape and other forms of sexual assault and abuse are an inevitable part of conflict, and that the needs of conflict-related sexual violence survivors are not a priority. There has been growth in the number and scale of programs to address the needs of female sexual violence survivors in humanitarian, conflict and post-conflict situations, as well as increasing efforts aimed at preventing sexual violence. Yet it is a complex issue, and the needs of both women and men, and girls and boys, who live with the health, social, psychological, justice, and economic consequences of sexual violence, and the challenges of preventing conflict-related sexual violence, continue to outstrip available resources.
Agencies working in conflict and post-conflict settings are increasingly undertaking research on sexual violence, either on their own or with the support of academic institutions and researchers. The increase in research on sexual violence in these contexts has been driven by a growing concern about the scale of the problem; as well as the importance for prevention and response of having data on the magnitude and nature of sexual violence in conflict situations; the vulnerabilities of women and children in conflict; the risk factors for perpetration; the short, medium and long term service needs of victims/survivors; and the effectiveness of interventions to prevent and respond to sexual violence. In spite of the clear needs for and increased efforts to collect these data, the evidence base remains scant.
--Sexual Violence Research Initiative
From the CIAO Database:
A research agenda for sexual violence in humanitarian, conflict and post-conflict settings
Criminalizing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by Peacekeepers
Wartime Sexual Violence: Misconceptions, Implications, and Ways Forward
From impunity to prosecution? Sexual violence in Sudan beyond Darfur
Care and Support of Male Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence
Outside Sources: *
Sexual Violence in Conflict and
Post-Conflict: Engaging Men and Boys (United Nations Population Fund)
http://www.unfpa.org/webdav/site/global/shared/documents/publications/2012/Advocacy Brief- Sexual Violence FINAL.pdf
Background Information on Sexual Violence used as a Tool of War (United Nations)
http://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/about/bgsexualviolence.shtml
Liberia: Rape and sexual violence 'endemic' (BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22090120
BBC Interview about Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones (YouTube video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDpfG0gbhrg
In War Zones, Rape is a Powerful Weapon (NPR)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114001201
* Outside links are not maintained. For broken outside links, CIAO recommends the Way Back Machine.