Sexualized crimes, including everything from sexual harassment to mass rape, are central to war, occupation, genocide–as essential as summary executions, forcible disappearances, torture, mass incarceration, & vilification of the victims. As Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez puts it:
“Gendered & sexualized crimes in a conflict are not only produced due to the criminality of the individual perpetrators but also institutionalized understanding of how violating women shatters the confidence of those resisting against it.”