Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is a systemic and heinous crime used as a weapon of war to intimidate, humiliate and control civilians. It includes rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, sterilisation and other forms of sexual violence committed against women, men, girls and boys.
Today, we can add the following forms of CRSV: forced undress, simulated sexual intercourse, forced observation of sexual violence, damage to genitals, electric shocks to genitals, harassment.
In the historical context, the protection of women, parents, and families in general was seen as part of men's pride. Thus, when conquering warriors committed rape, it not only caused physical harm to the sufferers, but also destroyed the defeated party's sense of power and ownership. It was a way of humiliating the enemy, undermining their morale, sense of control and demonstrating their dominance.
Cases of sexual violence are known:
- The Mongol Empire: Ruler Genghis Khan built one of the largest empires in history not only with his military skills, but he also used mass rape to consolidate his power.
- in Nanjing (1938): 200,000 Chinese women were raped by Japanese troops.
- The Second World War: There were mass rapes of German women by Soviet soldiers, with an estimated number of victims ranging from tens of thousands to two million. Today it is considered "the largest mass rape phenomenon in history"..
- In 1971, between 200,000 and 400,000 Bangladeshi women were raped by Pakistani regular army soldiers.
- The war in Afghanistan: Soviet troops massively abducted and raped local women.
- n Kabul (1980): Near Soviet garrisons, Soviet soldiers abducted young women to rape them. Many Afghan families and communities have cultural prejudices around sexual violence. If women managed to survive rape, their families considered the women to be guilty of what happened to them and brought dishonour to the family. Family members would kill the woman to restore the family's "honour". Other forms of punishment may include exile, physical violence or other forms of social exclusion.
- The war in Bosnia (1991-1995): Up to 55 thousand women and children were raped.
Sexual violence in conflicts nowadays
- Armed conflicts in various parts of Africa and the Balkans: Sexual violence has been used as a weapon to intimidate and expel local populations.
- Afghanistan (2015): Taliban involved in massacres and gang rapes of Afghan civilians.
- Iraq (2014): Islamic State militants kidnap 5000-7000 Yazidi women as sex slaves.
- The Russia-Ukraine conflict: Russian forces have used sexual violence as a means of intimidation and torture during the invasion of Ukraine, including after the full-scale invasion in 2022. The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine recorded 231 cases of sexual violence during the military conflict, including 149 cases against women, 82 against men, and 13 against minors. The youngest child survivor was only 4 years old, and the oldest survivor was 82. These figures are likely to be significantly underreported due to the fear, trauma and prejudice faced by survivors.
Help for the survivors
Model of comprehensive assistance to victims.
Dr. Denis Mukwege, a gynecological surgeon and women's rights advocate, founded the Panzi Hospital in Congo, which has become a center for medical care for survivors of sexual violence. The goal of the hospital was to ensure the survival of women and their children during childbirth, even with serious genital injuries.
As of May 2022, more than 74 thousand people have been helped here, almost 38% of whom were minors.
The Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation promotes a model of comprehensive (holistic) care that includes medical, psychological, and social support. Victims are also provided with legal assistance.
The Foundation also initiated the SEMA global movement, which brings together survivors of sexual violence. The foundation has branches in 26 countries, including Ukraine, where they help not only women but also work with male victims.
