The article considers the case for viewing
forced marriage as a gender crime. This practice
was a prevalent form of violence during the
civil war in Sierra Leone. The article engages
in a brief examination of the Special Court for
Sierra Leone trials. The author argues that
recognition of this practice as a form of gender
violence is crucial to advancing the scope of
international law. A comparison is made between
the characterization of forced marriage under
international criminal law and its treatment
under international refugee law, where similar