Article

Between rhetoric and reality : exploring the impact of military humanitarian intervention upon sexual violence : post-conflict sex trafficking in Kosovo

Samantha T. Godec

• International review of the Red Cross, Vol. 92, no. 877, March 2010, p. 235-258

English

Adopting a feminist perspective, this paper analyses the doctrine of humanitarian intervention and its impact on women in recipient states, particularly with regard to sexual violence. By analysing the phenomenon of post-conflict trafficking in Kosovo following the NATO intervention, the author presents a challenge to the ‘feminist hawks’ who have called for military intervention in situations of systematic sexual violence. It is the author’s contention that such intervention would be counterproductive for women’s rights and thus constitute a disproportionate response to sexual violence in terms of the international law governing the use of force.

• Full text

• International review of the Red Cross / ICRC
• International review of the Red Cross [Vol. 92, no. 877, March 2010] / ICRC