Opinion Piece – Terrorism, Human Trafficking and Conflict-Related Sexual Violence: Examining the Nexus

Terrorism, a global phenomenon afflicting virtually all continents in the world, has heightened trafficking in human beings. The same applies to the upsurge in sexual violence, especially in places with noticeable terrorist activities or experiencing other forms of conflict. The need to determine whether this upsurge has any connection with terrorism or the activities of terrorist groups has not attracted the requisite scholarly interest. Terrorist organisations rely on human trafficking for a variety of reasons, while the trafficked victims are exposed to sexual violence at the hands of members of these organisations. It raises a very important question: Is there a connection between terrorism, human trafficking and sexual violence in areas prone to conflict? This opinion piece examined the nexus between terrorism, human trafficking and conflict-related sexual violence and concludes that a strong nexus exists between terrorism, human trafficking and conflict-related sexual violence as terrorism and the activities of terror groups provide the enabling environment for human trafficking and sexual violence to thrive. Furthermore, human trafficking and conflict-related sexual violence are interconnected as the former supplies the persons who end up as victims of the latter.