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"We'll Kill You If You Cry"
Sexual Violence in the Sierra Leone Conflict
GLOSSARY OF
ACRONYMS
DEFINITION OF
SEXUAL VIOLENCE, RAPE AND SEXUAL SLAVERY..
I. SUMMARY..
II.
RECOMMENDATIONS
To the
Government of Sierra Leone
To Members of
the African Union and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
To Members of
the International Community
To the
Special Court for Sierra Leone
To the Truth
and Reconciliation Commission
To the United
Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL)
III. METHODOLOGY..
IV.
BACKGROUND..
The Civil War
Women and
Girls under Sierra Leonean Law..
The Sierra
Leonean Legal system..
Constitutional
Status of Women
Marriage
Divorce and
Death of Husband
Domestic
Violence
Rape as a
Crime under General Law..
Prosecution
of Sexual Violence under Customary Law..
Discrimination
against Women and Girls in Practice
Education
The Workplace
In the
Political Arena
Harmful
Traditional Practices and Their Impact on Women's and Girls' Health
Societal
Attitudes to Sexual Violence against Women and Girls
V. SEXUAL
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS DURING THE CIVIL WAR..
Prevalence of
Sexual Violence during the War
Perpetrators
Rebel Forces
Pro-Government
Forces
Peacekeeping
Forces
Sexual
Violence Committed by the Rebel Forces
"Virgination"-Targeting
Young Girls
Rape Victims
Subjected to Multiple Human Rights Abuses
Rape with
Objects and Other Sexual Torture, including Sexual Mutilation
Sexual
Violence with the Added Element of Violating Cultural Norms
Forced
Pregnancies
Forced
Abortion by West Side Boys
Rape by
Female Combatant
Rape and
Other Sexual Violence against Boys and Men by Male and Female Rebels
Abduction,
Sexual Slavery, Forced Labor, and Conscription
RUF Officers'
Responsibility for Sexual Violence
Sexual
Violence Committed by the CDF
Sexual
Violence Committed by International Peacekeeping Forces
VI. EFFECTS
OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE
Health
Stigmatization
and Shame of Survivors
VII.
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PROTECTIONS AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
Introduction
International
Humanitarian Law..
Sexual
Violence as a Crime against Humanity
Human Rights
Law..
Gender
Jurisprudence for Crimes of Sexual Violence
Command
Responsibility
VIII.
TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE MECHANISMS FOR SIERRA LEONE
The Lomé
Amnesty
Truth and
Reconciliation Commission
Special Court
for Sierra Leone
Principle of
Universal Jurisdiction
IX. THE
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
National
Response
Climate of Impunity
Corrupt and
Ineffective Judiciary
Need for Law
Reform..
The Sierra
Leone Police
The
International Response
The
Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration program..
United
Kingdom..
United States
European
Union
United
Nations
World Bank
X.
CONCLUSION..
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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