Sexual Violence against Women during Conflict; Contemporary Considerations on Sexual Violence against Women for the Destruction of the Lived Cultural Heritage

Abstract

Wars have been fought as long as mankind can recall between various groups of people resulting in atrocious acts of violence. Following World War II, a shift occurred in academic thinking on war and warfare techniques. One of the notable shifts in academic thinking discussed in this work relates to the manner in which gender based violence during armed conflicts is perceived. This thesis attempts to further our understanding and advocate the meaningful use of sexual violence against women as a tool for the intentional destruction of the lived cultural heritage of communities. Through an extensive academic debate and theoretical analyses, sexual violence against women will be linked to the concept of destruction of lived cultural heritage in order to comprehend the relevance of the linkage to our academic understanding of sexual violence during conflicts and its consequences for the survival of communities.