The Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin noted on October 31, 2022, that Ukrainian law enforcement officers were investigating more than 100 cases of sexual violence committed by Russian military in Ukraine based on victims’ statements.
Source: The Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin
“Currently, we have information on more than 100 cases of crimes of sexual violence committed by Russian military, but these are only those for which we have testimonies from the victims,” Andriy Kostin said.
According to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Ukrainians who have suffered from such crimes often do not report it.
“We analyzed why this is happening and found out that people are afraid to report what happened to them for two main reasons: they are afraid of condemnation from relatives, their environment and fear of re-occupation. They are also afraid that information about them will become public, in particular through the publication of suspicions in absentia, in which the names of the victims appeared. And finally, many of the victims avoid repeated psychological trauma,” said the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
Andriy Kostin emphasized that a strategy for the investigation of such crimes was prepared, which involves focusing on the interests of the victim, and minimizing the possibility of retraumatization of the victim.
See also: 7 countries investigate serious war crimes in Ukraine, – Ukraine’s Prosecutor General
