This report provides a contextual overview regarding sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) perpetrated by ISIL members and advocates for characterising this type of violence within the spectrum of core international crimes. The European Union (EU) Member States may find this characterisation helpful should suspects of those crimes come under their jurisdiction.

This report outlines: (i) the patterns of crimes, (ii) the contextual legal elements of core international crimes, (iii) elements of proof of a policy on sexual violence to be attributed to ISIL, and (iv) the coercive environment of sexual violence, plus two annexes. The first annex contains excerpts of documents that support the existence of an ISIL policy on sexual violence, and the second annex contains some applicable judicial precedents.