The authors of this article map the position of women in armed conflicts from World War II to the present day in light of sexually motivated crimes. Through an analysis of selected cases, the study offers a critical reflection on how female sexuality has become politicized, while victims of sexual violence have long been overlooked and marginalized in terms of both social and legal interest. Through the lens of feminist legal theory, the authors point to the marginalization of sexual violence and the response of the international community in gradually addressing the issue of sexual violence in conflicts. An analysis of the Geneva Conventions and the case law of selected ICTY and ICTR cases points to the transformation of sexual violence from a marginalized phenomenon to an internationally punishable war crime and crime against humanity.
Laca et al. (Wed,) studied this question.