Rape and Forced Pregnancy Under the ICC Statute: Human Dignity, Autonomy, and Consent

This article discusses the impact on international criminal law of the International Criminal Court Statute's provisions on rape and forced pregnancy. The author notes that prior to the Statute, rape and forced pregnancy were considered crimes that violated honour; post-Statute, these crimes are framed in light of the harm done to the victim's bodily integrity and infringement of their agency. The author argues that "this structure signals a new paradigm for the international criminalization of sexual crimes - one based on broader principles of human dignity, autonomy, and consent". The author analyzes the Statute provisions and examines the debates surrounding the inclusion and definitions of rape and forced pregnancy. She ends with a discussion on the new legal framework for sexual crimes. [Descriptors: Armed Conflict, International]