About this Research Topic
Conflict-related sexual violence is one of the earliest, most silenced, and least condemned crimes that are brought to the forefront during times of conflict. Conflict-related sexual violence can refer to rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, forced marriage, and other forms of sexual violence of comparable gravity perpetrated against women, men, girls, or boys that are either directly or indirectly linked to a conflict (for example, as a tactic of war, torture and/or terrorism).
Conflict-related sexual violence in its different forms is a key challenge especially when normal rules and both international humanitarian law and national laws are more frequently violated than during peacetime. Despite the growing body of international humanitarian and legal standards ousting this type of violence in any conflict, it remains common and has been demonstrated to have the most severe impact on individuals, groups, and public health. Sequels to sexual violence include physical injuries, infectious diseases, unwanted pregnancies, and severe and deep-rooted psychological impacts.
It must be noted cultural sensitivity is of great importance in this context as different cultures shape the often unhelpful, or even stigmatizing response after events to victims (especially in cases of infection or unwanted pregnancy which can also be accompanied by stigma, ousting, loss of status in and for the family and community). In conjunction with fear, these aspects converge to prevent a vast majority of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence from reporting their experience and seeking support which makes prevention of such violence paramount. Considering this, there is a critical need for a better understanding and fighting the threshold for committing sexual violence in perpetrators and their communities to ensure effective and upholding prevention strategies.
Where prevention is critical, it is also vital that victims are supported to handle the short-term and long-term impacts of such violence. The support of survivors also needs to be addressed. New and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the psychological impact that is adapted to conflict situations and considering the low healthcare resources available to survivors are needed. In addition, integrated medical and psychological treatment, mental health and psychosocial services models (MHPSS), and transitional and universal justice to build psychologically helpful interventions based on the therapeutic justice approach as necessary components and close collaboration with communities of the survivors to fight stigma and help reintegration are needed to support this population.
Considering these points, this Research Topic will be open to research, but also meta-analytic reviews and discussion papers addressing prevention and elimination of conflict-related sexual violence, and effective approaches to supporting survivors in this context, with a particular interest in primary and secondary prevention.
Conflict-related sexual violence in its different forms is a key challenge especially when normal rules and both international humanitarian law and national laws are more frequently violated than during peacetime. Despite the growing body of international humanitarian and legal standards ousting this type of violence in any conflict, it remains common and has been demonstrated to have the most severe impact on individuals, groups, and public health. Sequels to sexual violence include physical injuries, infectious diseases, unwanted pregnancies, and severe and deep-rooted psychological impacts.
It must be noted cultural sensitivity is of great importance in this context as different cultures shape the often unhelpful, or even stigmatizing response after events to victims (especially in cases of infection or unwanted pregnancy which can also be accompanied by stigma, ousting, loss of status in and for the family and community). In conjunction with fear, these aspects converge to prevent a vast majority of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence from reporting their experience and seeking support which makes prevention of such violence paramount. Considering this, there is a critical need for a better understanding and fighting the threshold for committing sexual violence in perpetrators and their communities to ensure effective and upholding prevention strategies.
Where prevention is critical, it is also vital that victims are supported to handle the short-term and long-term impacts of such violence. The support of survivors also needs to be addressed. New and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the psychological impact that is adapted to conflict situations and considering the low healthcare resources available to survivors are needed. In addition, integrated medical and psychological treatment, mental health and psychosocial services models (MHPSS), and transitional and universal justice to build psychologically helpful interventions based on the therapeutic justice approach as necessary components and close collaboration with communities of the survivors to fight stigma and help reintegration are needed to support this population.
Considering these points, this Research Topic will be open to research, but also meta-analytic reviews and discussion papers addressing prevention and elimination of conflict-related sexual violence, and effective approaches to supporting survivors in this context, with a particular interest in primary and secondary prevention.
Keywords: conflict-related sexual violence, sexual violence in conflict, tactic of war, physical impact, psychological impact, survivors, cultural sensitivity
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