Sexual assault

Violation of the sexual freedom and bodily integrity of another person, against their will, through the use of violence, coercion or intimidation. Depending on the legislation of each country, it can be a criminal or civil offence. A turning point in the international legislative framework was UN Security Council Resolution 1820, enacted in 2008, which states that “rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute a war crime, a crime against humanity, or a constitutive act with respect to genocide” and “stresses the need for the exclusion of sexual violence crimes from amnesty provisions in the context of conflict resolution processes”.