How does stigma impact victims/survivors of sexual violence during armed conflict?
Despite clear prohibitions under international humanitarian law (IHL), sexual violence has been recorded in at least 51 countries affected by armed conflict (1). Although often overlooked, stigmatization is one of the key consequences of sexual violence, altering the life trajectories not only of victims/survivors but also societies at large. In some places, being identified as a victim or survivor of sexual violence is akin to experiencing “social death”, which can make stigma almost as destructive as the act of sexual violence itself.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) aims to prevent, mitigate and respond to sexual violence through:
- direct action (e.g. provision of holistic care for victims/survivors through multidisciplinary programming, risk reduction with communities and prevention through engagement with duty bearers);
- referrals to other actors; and
- coordination of efforts to address sexual and gender-based violence with Movement partners.
The ICRC engages with victims/survivors of sexual violence, conflict-affected communities, authorities, service providers, survivor-led organizations and others to help prevent sexual violence and reduce community stigma. Since 2022, the ICRC’s Prevention of Sexual Violence Programme carried out an extensive consultation of the risks arising from stigma with 948 individuals, of whom 27 per cent were victims/survivors of sexual violence, and 66 organizations, collecting testimonies in 19 countries.
Stigma is a harmful coping mechanism communities may employ to preserve the “whole” by socially sacrificing those parts perceived as a threat to social cohesion. Victims/survivors of sexual violence are blamed for the violence they have suffered due to stigma.
This is known as “secondary victimization”, whereby victims/survivors are subjected to additional forms of physical, mental, and social violence stemming from the initial act. Stigma and victim-blaming undermine individual well-being while eroding social cohesion and weakening the very foundation that enables a community to recover from armed conflict. Due to limited longitudinal analysis or research, however, the impact of stigma in humanitarian terms is frequently underestimated or misunderstood.
In response to the dynamics and impacts of stigma, the ICRC has developed four main recommendations for states, donors, international and local organizations, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners, academic circles and others to reduce stigma against victims/survivors of sexual violence linked to conflict. It requires a multidisciplinary approach that addresses both systemic issues and individual needs in the short-, medium- and long-term.
1. Prevent stigma-related harm through inclusive domestic laws and policies
2. Integrate stigma reduction into conflict and emergency preparedness
3. Partner with communities to influence behavioural change and reduce the risk of stigma
4. Stigma-informed service design and delivery
[1] Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict, 2007.
