Amid the devastation caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, allegations have surfaced that Russian soldiers raped and sexually assaulted women and girls, according to many authorities.
This week, representatives of Ukraine and the United Nations turned to new information that men and boys also reported rape by Russian soldiers.
“I have received reports that have not yet been checked … on cases of sexual violence [involving] men and boys in Ukraine, “said Pramila Patton, the UN special envoy on sexual violence in conflict, at a news conference in Kyiv on Tuesday.
She continued: “It is difficult for women and girls to report [rape] for stigma, among other reasons, but it is often even more difficult for men and boys to report … we need to create this safe space for all victims to report cases of sexual violence. “
Pramila Patton, UN special envoy for sexual violence in conflict, and Olha Stefanishina, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, at a joint briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday. (Ukrinform / Shutterstock)
In some grim testimonies, the victims reported being attacked with a weapon, gang-raped or forced to be watched by their loved ones while the attack took place.
Alexandra Matviychuk, a Kyiv-based human rights lawyer and head of the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties, told Yahoo News about allegations of widespread sexual violence, including rape of Ukrainian civilians by Russian forces. She said she had heard stories of rape by Ukrainian officials and sources from the Euromaidan SOS civic initiative, which was set up after peaceful demonstrations in 2013 and violent repression that eventually led to the ouster of the former Russian-backed president. Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych.
“Three days ago, one of our lawyers contacted me [asked me] do we have any special instructions on how to take testimony from a man who has been raped because he has encountered it in his practice, and he wants to be prepared how to talk to people who have been sexually abused, and I provide these guidelines, “she told Yahoo News in an interview with Zoom on Thursday.
Alexandra Matviychuk, a Kyiv-based human rights lawyer and head of the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties. (Yahoo News)
Growing evidence supports reports of horrific crimes allegedly committed by Russian soldiers.
The story continues
Lyudmila Denisova, Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, said she had documented about two dozen cases of women and teenagers raped in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv from which Russian troops are withdrawing.
“About 25 girls and women aged 14 to 24 were systematically raped during the occupation in the basement of a house in Bucha. Nine of them are pregnant, “she said, according to a BBC report.
Noting that they also receive reports on support lines in the Telegram application, she added: “A 25-year-old woman called to tell us that her 16-year-old sister had been raped on the street in front of her. She said they shouted “This will happen to any Nazi prostitute” while raping her sister.
Pro-Russian troops are driving tanks near the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, on April 17th. (Alexander Ermochenko / Reuters)
Denisova told another horrifying story from Bucha on her Facebook page. On April 8, she published: “A boy, 11, raped in front of his mother – she was tied to a chair to watch. This is one of the many updates she gives daily to children who have been raped, stripped of their parents or killed.
Russia has denied allegations of rape by its troops. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was a lie when asked about sexual crimes in Bucha.
Matviychuk described the difficulty in investigating this “very specific crime” of rape due to the ongoing conflict, the lack of proper infrastructure, the blocking of victims in the occupied territories and the reluctance of victims to share their stories. She said they work with and direct victims of sexual violence to the right organizations and try to provide them with the best possible information.
“Sexual violence is the most hidden crime … and survivors of sexual violence very often [don’t] report it to the police, even after your release, and you don’t want to talk to human rights defenders about this horrible experience, “she said.
“In this note, we put the contacts of medical and psychological care initiatives that can help [a] in a confidential way “, without having to report to the authorities,” said Matviychuk, “which is extremely important and must first be a priority for assistance.” She added that if victims want to testify, it is best for them to have all this information.
Ukraine’s Attorney General Irina Venediktova briefed in Irpin, Ukraine, on Tuesday. (Valentin Ogirenko / Reuters)
In Ukraine, some authorities and experts claim that Russian soldiers use rape in various ways – as intimidation tactics, as a way of occupying an area and as an act of genocide. As much as an atrocity is in the hands of an individual, it can have different effects during a war.
Ukraine’s chief prosecutor, Irina Venediktov, said authorities were gathering information on war crimes, including rape and torture by Russian forces. According to Reuters, when asked about rape as a Russian strategy in the war, she said: “I’m sure it’s actually a strategy.
“This is, of course, to scare civil society … to do everything to capitulate.
Matviychuk added: “My assessment, as a human rights lawyer, is that sexual violence is used by Russian soldiers as part of terror to quickly gain and save control of their occupied territory.”
Add Comment