An overview of the impact of sexual and gender-based violence on mental and reproductive health: Examining the legal framework, with a view of bringing perpetrators to justice.

Abstract

In recent times women have been seen by members of terrorist groups as objects used to satisfy their sexual urges, render domestic services, act as spies, recruits, suicide bombers or used in trafficking light arms and ammunitions. Prior to this period most common types of sexual violence where imbedded in harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation or early child marriage. Other forms of sexual violence are in forms of gang rape by armed robbers and cultist in the Southern part of Nigeria or members of terrorist groups, in the Northern part of Nigeria. Most times victims do not report such violence against them because of societal norms and stigmatization, hence perpetuators are not brought to justice. The resultant effect is that victims are often traumatized which in turn affect their mental health. Their reproductive health is not equally speared as most victims end up with vesico vagina fistulae (VVF) and in extreme cases die from complications as a result of the violation. The general aim of this paper is to examine the impact of sexual based gender violence on the victims mental and reproductive health, specific emphasis will be on sexual violence committed by terrorist groups in armed conflict while examining the legal framework available to a victim for redress. The paper will conclude with recommendations for restorative justice for victims of SGBV, proffer solutions on how perpetuators can be identified and brought to justice.