The Intersection of Conflict-related Sexual Violence Against Men, Boys, and LGBTQI+ Persons and Human Trafficing

Abstract

The genesis of the workshop was a desire to understand how conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) intersects with the crime of trafficking and to examine the role that gender, sex, sexual orientation and gender identities/ expression (SOGIE) and age play in creating vulnerabilities. The workshop included keynotes and presentations by experts from the fields of CRSV, trafficking human beings (THB), and issues relating to SOGIE.

The workshop explored the intersection of CRSV and THB against men, boys, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersexual, and other individuals whose sexual and/or gender identity differs from the cis heterosexual. In 2016, United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 2331 addressed the nexus between trafficking in human beings and CRSV, as well as the gender-related nature of these crimes. In the 2018 report on CRSV, the UN Secretary-General reemphasized the importance of addressing the link with human trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation in conflict. The armed conflict in Ukraine has again brought this problem to the foreground. Allegations of sexual violence, including against men and boys, have been reported to national and international agencies. But the complexity of the nexus between CRSV and human trafficking is still not well understood, particularly in the case of men, boys, and LGBTQI+ persons.

The workshop brought together 36 international experts from each field of knowledge to identify and discuss possible lacunae in present research on the nexus between CRSV against men, boys, and LGBTQI+ persons and human trafficking; to assess potential legal, policy, and programmatic gaps in the responses to trafficked victims/survivors of CRSV; and to determine the need and direction for follow-up research on the topic.