Genocidal rape

Genocidal rape is sexual violence committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. It can cause bodily and psychological harm, reproductive consequences, and damage to families and communities.

Connect

Genocide: Genocide is the intentional destruction, in whole or in part, of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. The specific intent to destroy a protected group connects genocidal rape to the broader crime.
Akayesu trial: The 1998 ICTR judgment in Prosecutor v. Akayesu was the first international conviction for genocide. The tribunal found that rape and sexual violence could constitute acts of genocide in the case.
Genocide Convention: The 1948 Genocide Convention defines genocide, obliges states to prevent and punish it, and lists punishable acts. Its definition supplies the protected groups, acts, and specific intent central to this concept.
Reproductive violence: Reproductive violence is coercion or harm directed at a person's reproductive capacity, choices, or outcomes. Genocidal rape may attack a group's capacity to reproduce or shape which children are born into it.
Proof of genocidal intent: Proof of genocidal intent establishes that an accused acted with the purpose of destroying a protected group, in whole or in part. Courts must distinguish group-destructive purpose from other motives for sexual violence.
Genocidal intent: Genocidal intent is the specific purpose to destroy, in whole or in part, a protected group as such. It distinguishes genocidal rape from sexual violence committed without that group-destructive purpose.
Rwanda genocide: The 1994 Rwanda genocide was the mass killing of Tutsi and moderate Hutu by extremist-led forces. The ICTR's treatment of sexual violence during this genocide shaped the legal understanding of genocidal rape.
Protected groups under the Genocide Convention: The Convention protects national, ethnical, racial, and religious groups from genocide. Genocidal rape must target people as members of one of these legally protected groups.
Stigma of rape: Stigma of rape is social shame, blame, or exclusion imposed on survivors of sexual violence. Stigma can compound harm and be manipulated to fracture families and communities.
Command responsibility: Command responsibility is a mode of individual liability for commanders who knew or should have known of crimes by subordinates and failed to act. It raises questions about accountability when leaders enable or fail to prevent genocidal sexual violence.