Sexual violence, gendered protection and support for intervention

The protection of civilians from human rights violations has increasingly become a global priority. wars in Bosnia and Rwanda the 1990s, development Women, Peace Security framework have placed conflict-related sexual violence on agenda. Prior research found that international attention to, intervention in, conflicts is fact more likely when there are reports widespread violence, regardless overall conflict intensity. This article theorizes empirically examines micro-level underpinnings these patterns. We hypothesize individuals to support military with prevalent as opposed other types violence. reason lies gendered norms, based benevolent sexism, continue traction also Western societies. In equivalent survey experiments carried out United States, Kingdom Sweden, we find for highest conflicts. States Kingdom, responsibility protect perceptions victimhood mediate this effect. A follow-up experiment provides further evidence norm core mechanism driving our results.