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Intended to terrorise, destabilise, and punish those resisting occupation, sexual violence has long been used as a weapon of war. However, Ukraine’s powerful survivor-led response could redefine global justice, writes Jack Straw
espite being in the middle of a bloody war, with part of its land occupied by enemy forces, Ukraine is building a unique system that could transform global conflicts – and the response to them – in the years to come.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, there have been widespread reports of sexual assaults carried out by Russian troops against civilians, including women, men and children. Survivors describe attacks ranging from rape to abduction and humiliation. These acts are not random: sexual violence has long been used as a weapon of war, intended to terrorise communities, destabilise societies, and punish those resisting occupation. As part of a systematic campaign of intimidation and control, wartime sexual violence has been seen throughout history, from Bangladesh to Bosnia, from Syria to Stalin’s Soviet Union.
