Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova met with Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten in The Hague. They discussed assistance to Ukraine in the investigation of crimes of sexual violence as a weapon of war.
Source: Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova
According to Venediktova, Patten said she was ready to organize a group of permanent experts to work in Ukraine in the near future. These will be experienced professionals who will assist prosecutors and investigators and will cooperate with civil society.
“Currently, Russian troops in Ukraine are using rape as a weapon of war. We document and investigate war crimes in the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson and Chernihiv regions. However, we understand that most of the victims have not yet turned to law enforcement officers because of fear and stress after such atrocities. And only the creation of safe conditions for the survivors can change this situation,” Venediktova said.
It is reported that the Office of the Attorney General, in cooperation with the UN Secretary-General’s team on sexual violence, is currently developing a strategy for the comprehensive protection of victims of sexual violence in the context of armed conflict.
See also: The UN recorded at least 124 cases of sexual violence during the war against Ukraine
