Attacking Communities by Targeting Vulnerable Groups. Conflict-Related Sexual Violence against Women and Children: The Cases of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Yazidis.

This thesis examines the phenomenon of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV), paying special attention to women and children, the most vulnerable groups. The study provides a historical overview tracing the phenomenon from its earliest references in Homer's poems to some of the most tragic and well-known cases of the 20th century, including Nanjing, the former Yugoslavia, and Rwanda, and current conflicts in Palestine and Sudan. The thesis presents a conceptual and legal evolution of sexual violence, from an ignored phenomenon to one that the International Criminal Court now recognizes as a war crime, a crime against humanity, and an act of genocide in some cases. Additionally, the thesis provides a theoretical framework for understanding the causes of sexual violence in war by examining the individual and collective motives of perpetrators. Two timelines are identified: the first with classic theories and the second with multifactorial explanations of the phenomenon that consider variations in the frequency and forms of sexual violence from conflict to conflict. The thesis also focuses on CRSV against children as the most vulnerable category. Lastly, the thesis provides a thorough analysis of case studies of the Yazidi community in Iraq and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It offers a historical framework and explores whether and to what degree sexual violence can be used as a genocidal weapon.