Deterring and Preventing Rape and Sexual Slavery During Periods of Armed Conflict

This article identifies the growing recognition that rape and sexual slavery are used as ways of waging war against civilians. The author focuses on and proposes ways to curb, and ultimately eliminate, the use of rape and sexual slavery during periods of armed conflict. The authors argues that identifying why sexual violence remains a frequent occurrence in war would build a nexus with peacetime sexual violence to increase awareness of how to confront the attitudes and images that perpetuate violence against women. The author also asserts that education and training is needed to transform the military to reflect human rights standards. The article concludes that incidences of sexual violence during armed conflict will only decrease if we adopt a multilateral and multifaceted commitment to people and programs that will effectively combat it. [Descriptors: Armed Conflict, International]