Mazurana and Marshak address Hamas’ use of sexual violence
The United Nations, women’s groups, and human rights groups are facing criticism for not quickly condemning Hamas fighters for raping and sexually violating Israelis during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
In an article for The Conversation, Feinstein Research Director Dyan Mazurana and Research Assistant Professor Anastasia Marshak explore reasons for the hesitation to identify sexual violence as part of Hamas’ attack.
Mazurana and Marshak are scholars who work directly with victims of war-related sexual violence and other serious crimes. In their article, they review recent research and data on the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, as well as Hamas’ documented history of international law violations.
They also examine why Hamas may have made a decision to use sexual violence during the Oct. 7 attack, noting that under international law, surviving victims have a right to justice and a range of assistance to aid in their recovery.