UN records over 370 cases of war-related sexual violence in Ukraine

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine documented 376 cases of conflict-related sexual violence between February 24, 2022, and August 31, 2024.

Such data are provided in the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) report.

It is noted that the "16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence" campaign has begun in Ukraine. The HRMMU documented 376 cases of conflict-related sexual violence involving:

• 262 men,
• 104 women,
• ten girls,
• two boys.

The UN Mission works closely with survivors to document cases of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV); their testimonies are crucial for ensuring justice, holding perpetrators accountable, and preventing the further spread of this evil.

This form of gender-based violence affects individuals of all genders, with more than half of documented cases involving men, primarily those who were tortured while in captivity in occupied territory or the Russian Federation.

"Conflict-related sexual violence is a violation of international human rights, humanitarian and criminal law. Preventing such violence and holding perpetrators accountable is a shared responsibility based on States' human rights obligations," the HRMMU stressed.

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It should be noted that the Austrian human rights organization CEHRI and the George and Amal Clooney Foundation "For Justice" have appealed to the Prosecutor's Office to launch an investigation into crimes of sexual violence and murder committed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

In addition, as of June 18, 2024, 303 cases of war-related sexual violence were registered in Ukraine.

Moreover, during the occupation of the right bank of the Kherson region, Russian soldiers imprisoned, tortured, and sexually abused members of the LGBTQ community. The reasons for the torture were precisely the orientation and gender identification of people.