Conflict-related sexual violence and diverse sexual orientations and gender identities: Intersectional perspectives

The paper argues that LGBTQI+ individuals are specifically targeted for their nonconformity to cis-heteronormative norms, with visibility acting as a primary risk factor. It highlights that such violence occurs on a continuum across public and private spheres, perpetrated by state actors, armed groups, and family members. The authors advocate for an intersectional framework to avoid homogenizing the LGBTQI+ community and emphasize the agency of survivors in creating their own support systems.

• LGBTQI+ individuals are frequently targeted for sexual violence specifically because of their actual or perceived nonconformity to gender-binary and cis-heteronormative norms. The risk of violence is directly linked to visibility; those who are more visibly nonconforming face a higher risk of abuse and threats.
• Conflict-related sexual violence against persons with diverse SOGIESC is perpetrated by a wide range of actors across both public and private domains. This includes state security forces, non-state armed groups, and private individuals such as family members, neighbors, and landlords.
• In the private sphere, family members can be central sources of violence, including rape and intimate partner violence, often justified by the desire to protect family 'honour' or based on conservative cultural and religious values. Family members may also 'out' queer individuals to armed militias, increasing their risk of death or sexual violence.
• There is a persistent tendency in scholarship and policy to homogenize the LGBTQI+ community, often focusing disproportionately on gay men while marginalizing the experiences of trans persons, intersex people, and lesbian, bisexual, and trans (LBT) women.
• Specialized queer-friendly services for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are extremely limited in countries such as Uganda, Syria, Lebanon, and Türkiye. Existing gender-based violence resources primarily prioritize cis-hetero female survivors.
• Despite their vulnerabilities, LGBTQI+ survivors exercise agency by establishing their own support networks. In Uganda, for example, queer refugee survivors have created a survivor-led organization providing peer-to-peer counseling, informal protection shelters, and a medical clinic.

APA

Schulz, P., Erdem, Z. P., & Ongwech, O. D. (2026). Conflict-related sexual violence and diverse sexual orientations and gender identities: Intersectional perspectives. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/06a0c367-538b-4ad3-a0f3-b16062ff026c/MPI Paper 9_Schulz Erdem Ongwech_Final.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Schulz, Philipp, Zeynep Pinar Erdem, and Onen David Ongwech. Conflict-related sexual violence and diverse sexual orientations and gender identities: Intersectional perspectives. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2026. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/06a0c367-538b-4ad3-a0f3-b16062ff026c/MPI Paper 9_Schulz Erdem Ongwech_Final.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Schulz |first1=Philipp |last2=Erdem |first2=Zeynep Pinar |last3=Ongwech |first3=Onen David |title=Conflict-related sexual violence and diverse sexual orientations and gender identities: Intersectional perspectives |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=June 2026 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/06a0c367-538b-4ad3-a0f3-b16062ff026c/MPI Paper 9_Schulz Erdem Ongwech_Final.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{schulz2026conflictrelated, author = {Schulz, Philipp and Erdem, Zeynep Pinar and Ongwech, Onen David}, title = {{Conflict-related sexual violence and diverse sexual orientations and gender identities: Intersectional perspectives}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/06a0c367-538b-4ad3-a0f3-b16062ff026c/MPI Paper 9_Schulz Erdem Ongwech_Final.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }