Sexual Violence as a War Crime: The Binding Force of International Treaties and Their Enforcement
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Abstract
Sexual violence committed in armed conflict may constitute a war crime when a sufficient nexus to the armed conflict and the specific offense elements are established. In a distinct legal category, sexual violence may constitute a crime against humanity when it forms part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population and the perpetrator acts with the required knowledge. This normative legal study examines the binding force of international treaties, customary international law, and relevant enforcement mechanisms through the Geneva Conventions, the Additional Protocols, the Rome Statute, and international criminal jurisprudence. The study finds that offense classification must be clearly separated from jurisdiction. Treaty ratification is not the sole source of international obligation, but ICC jurisdiction does not arise automatically in relation to a non-party state. Effective enforcement therefore requires a combination of domestic implementing law, a valid jurisdictional basis, international cooperation, proof of contextual elements, and meaningful protection for victims.
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References
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