III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 310 

Condemning the ongoing sexual violence against women and children from 

Yezidi, Christian, Shabak, Turkmen, and other religious communities 

by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militants and urging the prosecution 

of the perpetrators and those complicit in these crimes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 9, 2015 

Mr. JOHNSON (for himself, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. RUBIO, Ms. AYOTTE, Mr. KIRK, 

Mr. PERDUE, and Mrs. ERNST) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

NOVEMBER 17, 2015 

Reported by Mr. CORKER, without amendment 

DECEMBER 16, 2015 

Considered, amended, and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning the ongoing sexual violence against women and 

children from Yezidi, Christian, Shabak, Turkmen, and 

other religious communities by Islamic State of Iraq 

and Syria militants and urging the prosecution of the 

perpetrators and those complicit in these crimes. 

Whereas the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has publicly and systematically targeted communities on the 

basis of their religious identities, including Yezidis, Christians, Shi’a Muslims, Shabaks, Turkmens, and Kaka’i, in 

a campaign of violence that includes summary executions, 


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•SRES 310 ATS 

beheadings, torture, arbitrary detainment, forced displacement, rape and sexual violence, and enslavement; 

Whereas enslavement and sexual violence against women is a 

widespread practice among ISIS militants, who have, according to the Yezidi Affairs Directory, captured and 

enslaved as many as 5,500 Yezidis, including as many as 

3,000 women, since August 2014; 

Whereas ISIS has established a formal slave trade in which 

women and girls as young as 5 years old are systematically abducted, transported, categorized according to 

physical traits and perceived value, and traded among 

ISIS militants or sold for as little as $10; 

Whereas the Research and Fatwa Department of ISIS has 

issued guidelines and directions for the enslavement of 

Yezidi women and children and has justified the actions 

on the basis of religious teachings; 

Whereas the New York Times reported that ‘‘the Islamic 

State has developed a detailed bureaucracy of sex slavery, 

including sales contracts notarized by the ISIS-run Islamic courts’’; 

Whereas according to various reports, including testimony before Congress by Khidher Domle, a Yezidi activist and 

Director of the Media Department at the University of 

Dohuk, the enslavement and sexual violence used against 

Yezidi women and children by ISIS militants in their attack on Mount Sinjar was premeditated; 

Whereas ISIS has initiated the mass killing of Yezidi men 

and boys, the sexual violence and enslavement of Yezidi 

women and children, and the forced displacement of 

Christians and other religious communities; 


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Whereas the threat and reach of ISIS extends beyond Iraq 

and Syria into the rest of the world, as demonstrated by 

ISIS-affiliated attacks and recruitment of foreign fighters 

from the United States, Europe, Central Asia, and Africa; 

Whereas, according to testimony presented before the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives on September 29, 2015, it is possible that one of 

the ISIS militants involved in the sexual slavery of Yezidi 

women and children is a United States citizen; and 

Whereas the United States Government should investigate 

and urge prosecution of American citizens who are perpetrators of or complicit in such crimes: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) condemns the ongoing sexual violence 

3 against women and children from Yezidi, Christian, 

4 Shabak, Turkmen, and other religious communities 

5 by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militants; 

6 (2) calls on the Attorney General to commence 

7 the investigation and prosecution of any United 

8 States citizens alleged to be perpetrators of or 

9 complicit in these crimes and to report back to Con10 gress what steps are being taken to investigate and 

11 urge the prosecution of those involved; 

12 (3) calls on the Government of Iraq and the 

13 governments of other countries to identify individual 

14 perpetrators and individuals involved in these crimes 


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1 and take appropriate measures to arrest and urge 

2 the prosecution of those individuals; and 

3 (4) defines ‘‘complicit’’, for purposes of this res4 olution, as having knowingly and willingly taken ac5 tions which have directly supported, promoted, en6 abled, aided, abetted, or encouraged crimes involving 

7 sexual violence against women and children from 

8 Yezidi, Christian, Shabak, Turkmen, or other reli9 gious communities by Islamic State of Iraq and 

10 Syria militants, including actively working to deny, 

11 cover up, or alter evidence of such crimes. 

Æ 


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