Thesis title:
Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in the Digital Age: Constructing Victimhood, Augmenting Harms, Challenges and Opportunities for Investigation and Prosecution
This thesis intends to respond to the contemporary urgency of digital evidence of conflict-related sexual violence in international criminal law, specifically the posting of images and videos to social media by perpetrators and third parties. This project will explore the interplay between the benefits of using such evidence to investigate and prosecute, and the potential harms augmented by the public nature of social media.
In doing so, I will be looking into social constructions of victimhood both at the International Criminal Court and in wider society, considering the ‘ideal’ victim of international criminal law. This will raise themes of gender and masculinity, looking into gendered representations of both men and women as victims.
Ultimately, this thesis aims to provide innovative recommendations to improve the use of digital evidence, while furthering a better understanding of the impact of such evidence on both men and women as victims.
Research Area
