Paradoxically, victims of ordinary crimes such as fraud, theft or
assault, can obtain redress through regular domestic channels, whereas
victims of such major atrocities as genocide, war crimes or crimes
against humanity, have been left mostly uncompensated. Until recently, a
pervasive climate of impunity for international crimes relegated victims
to the political and legal periphery. Over the last few years however,
the international community has begun to recognize that, just as crimes
under international law cannot be considered ordinary crimes, victims of
these crimes cannot be considered ordinary victims. In this book, Dr.
Bottigliero explores the origins, evolution and practice relating to
victims' redress in domestic law, regional and universal human rights
regimes, humanitarian law, the law of State responsibility, United
Nations practice, and international criminal law including the
International Criminal Court. She argues that the international
community must now move beyond incomplete and fragmented approaches
towards a much more comprehensive redress regime for victims of crimes
under international law, and she recommends means by which to enhance
the coherence, effectiveness and fairness of victims' redress.