Armed Conflicts and Sexual Violence Against Women: An Inevitable Accompaniment?

Year 2014, Issue: 28, 1 - 20, 01.12.2014

Ayşegül Gökalp Kutlu

Abstract

Violence against women – rape and all kinds of sexual assault – during armed conflicts is a practice which was known but ignored by human rights discourse and humanitarian law for many years. When states and ideals legitimize killing and other acts of violence, rape is seen as an unfortunate by-product. Therefore, it is common to think about sexual violence against women in armed conflicts as “coincidental”. However, normalizing rape and sexual assault contains the risk of permitting sexual violence and legitimizing its use as a weapon of war. This article will analyse the development and mechanisms of International Humanitarian Law, which is also known for the law of war, with a feminist perspective. It will be argued that International Humanitarian Law lacks effective measures to counter sexual violence

Keywords

Feminism, International Humanitarian Law, sexual violence

Silahlı Çatışmalar ve Kadınlara Yönelik Cinsel Şiddet: Önlenemez Bir İkili Mi?

Abstract

Silahlı çatışmalarda kadınlara yönelik şiddet – tecavüz ve cinsel saldırının her türü – insan hakları
söyleminin ve insancıl hukukun bilinen fakat görmezden gelinen bir boyutu olmuştur. Devletler ve
uğruna savaşılan düşünceler öldürmeyi ve diğer şiddet türlerini meşrulaştırınca, tecavüz savaşın
talihsiz bir yan ürünü olarak görülmektedir. Bu sebeple silahlı çatışmalarda kadınlara yönelik
cinsel şiddeti “rastlantısal” olarak görmek yaygındır. Ancak, tecavüzü ve cinsel saldırıyı
normalleştirmek cinsel şiddete yol açmakta ve onun bir savaş silahı olarak kullanılmasını
meşrulaştırmaktadır. Bu makale, savaş hukuku olarak da bilinen Uluslararası İnsancıl Hukuk’un
gelişimini ve işleyişini feminist bir bakış açısından ele alacaktır. Makale, Uluslararası İnsancıl
Hukuk’un cinsel şiddetle başa çıkacak yeterli önlemleri olmadığını öne sürmektedir.

Keywords

Feminizm, Uluslararası İnsancıl Hukuk, Cinsel şiddet

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