Making the Invisible War Crime Visible: Post-Conflict Justice for Sierra Leone's Rape Victims

This article addresses the oft-neglected efforts of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) and the Sierra Leonean Truth and Reconciliaton Commission (TRC) to address - and redress - the wartime sexual violence that was routinely directed at women and girls during the civil war. The article identifies that the SCSL and the TRC have both sought to fulfill their mandate with regard to crimes against women, utilising gender-sensitive strategies to ensure the safety and dignity of female rape victims. The author asserts that despite these efforts, gender justice remains the exception rather than the rule in most post-conflict societies. She argues that in addition to the contributions the SCSL and the TRC have made to achieving justice for women, the two institutions have also exposed crucial questions and have established important precedents and procedures for other future post-conflict resolution mechanisms. [Descriptors: Armed Conflict, International - Africa]