Full Report
*This article contains descriptions of sexual and gender-based violence that some readers may find distressing* Open source methods are increasingly used to document and report on conflicts around the world. From verifying secretive troop movements to identifying potential war crimes, open source investigations have often been the first to uncover important developments. Yet one aspect […] The post Recognising Sexual and Gender-Based Violence as an Open Source Researcher appeared first on bellingcat.
Analysis Summary
# Main Topic
Ethical and practical challenges faced by Open Source Researchers (OSINT investigators) when documenting, identifying, and reporting on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) encountered in conflict reporting through open source materials.
## Key Points
- Open source methods are increasingly used to document conflicts, including verifying troop movements and identifying potential war crimes, but encountering SGBV presents unique ethical and practical obstacles.
- SGBV is a recognized crime under international law, often occurring in armed conflict, but OSINT researchers unfamiliar with human rights backgrounds may not recognize the content or know how to treat it without causing further harm to survivors.
- Defining SGBV is critical; the UN OHCHR defines gender-based violence as any harmful act based on gender, and sexual violence as a form of SGBV encompassing sexual acts, attempted acts, unwanted advances, or trafficking using coercion.
- SGBV significantly affects women and girls disproportionately, but victims can include men, boys, and LGBTQI+ individuals.
- The Hague Principles on Sexual Violence (2019) offer a comprehensive framework for understanding all forms of sexual violence relevant to documentation.
- Failure to treat intimate SGBV material thoughtfully, especially regarding identifying information, risks diminishing survivors' lives to their worst experience. Recognizing and naming acts of sexual violence provides validation to survivors.
## Threat Actors
- No specific threat actors or state/non-state military groups are explicitly named as perpetrators in the context provided.
- The focus is on the *content* (SGBV evidence) found, rather than attributing specific actors engaging in SGBV through OSINT reporting challenges.
## TTPs
- **Content Identification:** OSINT investigators risk encountering SGBV content while investigating broader conflict documentation (e.g., troop movements, war crimes).
- **Ethical Handling:** The critical "TTP" discussed relates to the *researcher's response*: Failure to treat sensitive imagery/testimony appropriately (e.g., reposting identifying data) constitutes a negative action that causes further harm.
- **Documentation/Investigation:** Researchers need expanded strategies and heightened sensitivities to effectively and ethically research sexual violence online.
## Affected Systems
- The "affected systems" are primarily the *researchers' methodologies and operational security* when processing highly sensitive, distressing, and identifying SGBV content found in open sources related to conflicts such as Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia.
- Victims/Survivors: Individuals targeted by SGBV in conflict zones whose sensitive data may be improperly handled by investigators.
## Mitigations
- **Education:** Researchers must "Get Educated" on SGBV definitions and investigative protocols.
- **Respectful Documentation:** Treat material witnessing the worst moments of people's lives with the respect required. Avoid sharing or reposting intimate content that reveals identifying information.
- **Utilize Established Guidance:** Adhere to frameworks like:
- The International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict.
- The Hague Principles on Sexual Violence.
- Resources from Dart Centre Europe and GIJN on reporting SGBV.
## Conclusion
Open source investigation of conflict zones inherently risks exposure to documentation of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. The primary intelligence finding is that the integrity and ethical responsibility of documentation hinges on researcher preparedness. OSINT practitioners must proactively familiarize themselves with specific international legal definitions and sensitivity guidelines to ensure SGBV is documented accurately while validating survivor experiences and preventing re-victimization through improper data handling.
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# Morning News Roll-up {current_date}
## Overview
This summary focuses exclusively on the operational and ethical challenges of Open Source Intelligence regarding Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in conflict zones, as detailed in the provided article snippet.
## Top Stories
### Recognizing SGBV as an Ethical Challenge for Open Source Researchers
- Summary: Open source investigations increasingly uncover evidence of SGBV during conflicts (e.g., Ukraine, Tigray). The core issue is that many OSINT investigators lack the human rights expertise to recognize, ethically treat, and properly document this content, risking further harm to survivors.
- Source: Bellingcat investigation analysis
### Defining and Understanding Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Conflict
- Summary: The article highlights the UN OHCHR definition of SGBV and emphasizes that sexual violence is broadly defined under international law, extending beyond essentialist rape tropes to include diverse acts affecting all genders and ages, including men and boys.
- Source: Bellingcat investigation analysis referencing UN OHCHR definitions and The Hague Principles.
### Critical Guidance for Handling Documented SGBV
- Summary: Experts advise researchers to prioritize education on established protocols (like The Hague Principles and the International Protocol) and to treat all sensitive material with extreme respect, explicitly advising against sharing content that identifies victims to prevent reducing their lives to their worst experience.
- Source: Bellingcat investigation analysis referencing guidance from Koenig and Vuillemin.