Bibliographic details and abstracts are available to all. Downloads of full-text dissertations are restricted to University of Portsmouth members who must login. MPhils may be accessed by all.

Abstract

Sexual violence is a highly pervasive and prevalent crime witnessed throughout genocides and conflict worldwide, deliberately used by armed actors to target civilians within conflict zones (UN Peacekeeping, n.d.). Conflict related sexual violence can be defined by the United Nations as acts of rape, slavery, forced marriage, pregnancy, abortion and prostitution, enforced sterilization, and any other act of sexual violence of comparable gravity perpetrated against women, girls, men, and boys that is indirectly or directly linked to conflict, often through the profile of the perpetrator (UN, n.d.).
The main aim of this dissertation is to contribute to existing literature and bring about a wider understanding of conflict related sexual violence. Therefore, with a focus on female victims within the genocide in Rwanda and the Rohingya genocide, this literature review discusses the horrific nature of rape and other acts of sexual violence during conflict, with a focus on the underlying motivations behind this violence, the impact of this violence on the primary female victim and secondary victims within the community, and current justice systems in place aimed at tackling this violence.
The key findings within this dissertation highlight that conflict related sexual violence is an extremely complex act with multiple underlying motivations, leaving victims with horrific lifelong physical and mental implications. It argues that the complex nature leaves highly complicated challenges for the justice system to overcome. Therefore, it concludes that in order to effectively tackle conflict related sexual violence, further research is needed to improve these justice systems and initiatives to ensure acts of sexual violence within conflict are prevented.

Course: Criminology and Forensic Studies - BSc (Hons) - C2039F

Date Deposited: 2024-11-20

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14520.html