Prosecuting gender-based crimes through a public health lens with Kim Thuy Seelinger

When the International Criminal Court prosecutes gender-based violence in conflict, what evidence do they need? And who gathers it? Kim Thuy Seelinger is a Professor of Practice at Washington University School of Public Health and former senior coordinator for Gender-Based Crimes at the International Criminal Court in the Hague until the Spring of 2025. For over two decades, she's worked at the intersection of international criminal law and public health. In this episode, Kim and Salma explore how gender-based violence manifests in conflict—not just sexual violence, but forced starvation, attacks on healthcare, reproductive coercion, and denial of education. They examine how international law distinguishes between war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, and why proving these crimes remains so difficult, especially when prosecuting high-level perpetrators. The conversation tackles a fundamental question: How can public health methods strengthen international justice? Kim explains how epidemiological data, trauma-informed approaches, and understanding of health systems can help document crimes at scale, establish patterns of violence, and ensure reparations address survivors' long-term needs. But she's also honest about the tensions—between prevention and punishment, between individual accountability and systemic change, and between what the law promises and what survivors actually experience. This is a conversation about breaking down silos between fields that urgently need each other and confronting the gap between justice on paper and justice in practice.   Useful resources: Seelinger KT. Sexual Violence and Armed Conflict- Theories, myths, and holistic response. Presented at: Public Health Speaker Series; February 25, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4B7s2pEPMQ Seelinger KT. Substance, Systems, Survivors: The essential synergy of public health and international justice. Presented at: Talking Public Health seminar series; April 25, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BU1iSV68xU Center for Human Rights, Gender & Migration, Mukwege Foundation. Understanding Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Ethiopia; 2022. https://www.mukwegefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ETH_CRSV-in-ETH-Report_221012_FINAL.pdf Host: Dr. Salma Abdalla Editors: Catalina Melendez Contreras and Zachary Linhares Marketing: Kinkini Bhaduri Music: Eden Avery / Melting Glass from Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/2fqOXWpHab/   The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this episode do not necessarily reflect those of their institution, the funders, or the podcast team.

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