Legal Definitions - sexual slavery

Sexual slavery is a grave international crime involving the systematic practice of forcing individuals into sexual servitude. This means people are held against their will and exploited for sexual purposes as an organized, widespread practice, rather than through isolated incidents.

When such practices are carried out as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population, sexual slavery is considered a crime against humanity. If it occurs in connection with an armed conflict, it is also punishable as a war crime.

Here are some examples to illustrate this complex legal concept:

• Example 1: Conflict-Zone Abductions

  During an armed conflict, a non-state armed group systematically invades villages belonging to a specific ethnic minority. They abduct women and girls, transporting them to makeshift camps where they are held captive, subjected to repeated sexual violence, and forced into "marriages" with fighters. These acts are part of a deliberate, organized strategy to terrorize and control the population, and to reward combatants.

  How it illustrates the term: This scenario demonstrates sexual slavery as both a war crime and a crime against humanity. It is a war crime because it occurs during an armed conflict and involves the systematic enslavement and sexual exploitation of a specific group. It also qualifies as a crime against humanity due to its widespread and systematic nature against a civilian population.

• Example 2: State-Sponsored Repression

  In a country experiencing severe political instability and state-sponsored repression, government security forces systematically target political dissidents and their families. As part of this campaign, women and girls associated with opposition figures are routinely arrested, detained in secret facilities, and subjected to forced sexual acts and servitude. This is not isolated abuse but an organized tactic to break resistance and punish dissenters, affecting a significant portion of the civilian population.

  How it illustrates the term: This example illustrates sexual slavery as a crime against humanity. It involves the systematic enslavement and sexual exploitation of a segment of the civilian population as part of a widespread attack by state actors, even if a full-scale armed conflict isn't officially declared. The organized and systematic nature of the abuse against a civilian population is key.