Widespread sexual violence in Ukraine war, most cases tied to Russia, says UN report
The UN says most victims were men in detention, and underreporting and blocked access likely mean the true scale is higher.
- On Friday, the UN Human Rights Office reported 1,004 cases of sexual violence in Ukraine since Russia's attack began in Feb 2022, documenting a "shocking pattern of torture, intimidation and coercion" against civilians and prisoners.
- UN investigators attributed 89 per cent of documented violations to Russian authorities, including military and security services, with acts involving gang rape and degrading treatment in occupied territories like Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
- Many survivors described being tasered in the genitals using a "tapik," a Soviet-era military field telephone, with 155 victims, or 27 per cent, enduring this form of sexual violence in detention centers.
- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged Russia to withdraw forces while noting 11 per cent of documented cases were attributed to Ukrainian authorities, demanding both sides investigate all credible claims.
- Danielle Bell, head of the Human Rights Office team in Ukraine, told reporters in Geneva that access restrictions mean documented cases are "just a fraction of the reality," obscuring the true scale of violations.
125 Articles
125 Articles
A report by the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHCR) described the level of sexual violence in the war in Ukraine as shocking. Both prisoners of war and civilians in the occupied territories of Ukraine are facing it. There are mass rapes, torture and genital mutilation. The youngest victim was four years old, the oldest was an 82-year-old woman.
The UN documents 1,004 cases and warns that the real figure is probably much higher
The report, published on Friday, is based on interviews with hundreds of victims, among other things.
'Rape, Shocks To Genitals': UN On Sexual Violence Horrors In Russia-Ukraine War
Of those cases, 89 per cent were attributed to the Russian side, including members of the armed forces, prison service and security agencies, while 11 per cent were linked to Ukraine, including members of the Ukrainian armed forces.
A UN REPORT states that Russian authorities are responsible for 89% of over 1,000 documented cases of sexual violence in Ukraine. Abuses were recorded in the occupied territories and detention centers.
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