Stigma is not an inevitable consequence of sexual violence; it is a choice – a choice made by communities and societies when the responsibility for the violence creeps unjustly from the perpetrator to the victim. Informed by the lived experiences of victims/survivors of sexual violence from several conflict-affected countries where ICRC works, this tool presents in an accessible way some of the harmful consequences of the multiple layers in which stigma operates: fear of stigma, individual, family, and societal. By choosing supportive practices over stigmatizing ones, we all help survivors, their families, and their communities to recover and thrive.
This product is linked to the policy brief, How Does Stigma Impact Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence During Armed Conflict? and the poster, Addressing Stigma Against Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence.
