Conflict-Related Sexual Violence: Terror, Trauma and Justice

Conflict-related sexual violence is increasingly recognized as a form of violence deliberately used as a weapon of war. Particularly in the context of terror, sexual violence is strategically employed to terrorize, humiliate and subjugate individuals, with lasting consequences for entire communities.

What are the long-term effects of sexual violence on survivors and their communities? Why are accounts of these crimes so often met with silence, minimization or denial – and what does this mean for survivors and for society’s ability to confront them? How can these crimes be effectively documented and prosecuted, and those responsible held accountable?

The event marks the German publication of the Dinah Report, “A Quest for Justice: October 7 and Beyond.” Published by the Dinah Project, the report documents sexual violence committed in connection with the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, and examines the challenges involved in securing recognition, documenting these crimes and pursuing legal accountability. 

The event will open with a keynote by Nava Ben-Or of the Dinah Project, examining the specific legal and evidentiary challenges surrounding the sexual violence committed in connection with the October 7 attacks. The panel discussion that follows will broaden the perspective, bringing together Nava Ben-Or, Prof. Dr. Jan Ilhan Kizilhan, Naïla Chikhi and Rebecca Schönenbach to examine sexual violence across different contexts, its impact on individuals and societies, and the challenges of recognition, accountability and justice. Together, they bring perspectives from law, psychology and trauma research, women’s and human rights advocacy, as well as work on Islamism, extremism and terrorism.

In English; one panelist will speak German, with simultaneous interpretation into English.

Ort:
Forum im Axel Springer Neubau
Zimmerstraße 50, 10117 Berlin