Since 2016 we have been working with a team of pro-bono international lawyers at Hogan Lovells to pursue civil litigation cases for women ISIS survivors. The move is aimed at finally bringing Islamic State fighters to justice, while delivering compensation to female Yazidi survivors in northern Iraq. Rather than the duty falling on the tax-payer, we believe one solution is for states and governments to confiscate seized or sanctioned assets from foreign ISIS fighters, and redistribute these among the victims. The action is focusing on ‘homegrown’ ISIS fighters – identified by the women victims – from western countries including Australia.
Not only is reparation and redress the most appropriate outcome for identified foreign ISIS fighters, but we believe it will open new doors for the survivors – many of whom feel they have been abandoned by the western world. Holding their aggressors to account in this way will bring them a vital sense of closure at long last.
The civil action is to focus on ‘home-grown’ ISIS perpetrators from western countries who have committed atrocities such as rape, enslavement, torture and human trafficking. We are hoping this will pave way for new policy and legislation for all victims of sexual abuse in conflict.