Abstract
Despite the heightened vulnerability of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI+) people to violence in situations of conflict, studies focusing on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) against this population are scarce, reducing it to just ‘another’ form of violence people with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) are forced to endure. This has very practical and serious implications. Lack of recognition of LGBTI+ people as a category of victims of CRSV contributes to a lack of documentation, data, knowledge and survivor-centred responses for victims. Against this background, this paper explores some aspects of what is known about sexual violence against LGBTI+ people in different conflict settings based on available evidence, with the aim to build knowledge on the nature, patterns and consequences of this form of violence and contribute to a long overdue conversation. This study argues that armed actors strategically perpetrate sexual violence against LGBTI+ people in conflict in an attempt to punish, ‘correct’ or ‘cure’ their diverse SOGIESC by directly targeting their sexual autonomy and integrity, which serves to reaffirm their position and exert social control. ln addition, it identifies situations of deprivation of liberty and of displacement, as well as within the ranks of armed groups and armed forces as settings of heightened vulnerability to CRSV. The data also suggests that not all LGBTI+ people are equally vulnerable to CRSV and that children, members of ethnic groups, people living in rural areas and those whose diverse SOGIESC is more visible may be at particular risk. The issue is compounded by multiple barriers in access to healthcare and other essential responses.
