No shame in justice: Addressing stigma against survivors to end sexual violence in conflict zones

Objective In June 2014 Governments, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations and individuals came together at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. World Vision’s ‘No Shame In Justice’ report... [ view full abstract ]

Objective
In June 2014 Governments, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations and individuals came together at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. World Vision’s ‘No Shame In Justice’ report captures the momentum of the summit and unravels the links between stigma and justice, showing how stigma impacts the lives of survivors of sexual violence, and what factors they consider when deciding whether or not to report the crime.

Methodology
This report is based on primary evidence gathered by World Vision staff in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as well as a literature review of academic articles, NGO materials and United Nations reports. It includes input from more than 400 first-hand interviews with survivors and other community members from 2014 (Uganda) and 2015 (DRC).

Results and Conclusions
The report highlights that the journey to recovery is complex and contingent on the survivor’s personal situation. Importantly, this process must encompass not only physical and psychological rehabilitation, but must also entail the ability to demand accountability from a survivor’s attacker, and access credible justice mechanisms. A survivor-centred focus on addressing conflict-related sexual violence must take a more comprehensive approach and must address the issue of stigma, in all its forms.

This report recommends six principles which should be central to approaches being made to improve support for survivors as well as to punish perpetrators. These principles can feed into the global momentum for ending sexual violence in conflict. This report is a unique contribution to the current dialogue on how to end sexual violence in conflict, directly drawing on the voices of survivors and communities in Uganda and the DRC.