Russian military uses sexual violence as a tactic - report
Sexual violence against children in Ukraine by the Russian army became the subject of research by the German Kindernothilfe. This organization, which specializes in helping children, demands that those responsible be brought to justice.
The Russian military is using sexual violence against children as a tactic during its aggressive war against Ukraine. This is stated in the study "Giving children the opportunity to talk about it", which was published on February 21 in Berlin by the German human rights organization Kindernothilfe. The publication of the study is dedicated to the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to the study, as of February 2022, 13 cases of sexualized violence against children by the Russian army have already been documented in Ukraine. However, it is only about those cases that are already under investigation, the report emphasizes. The youngest child who became a victim of sexual violence by the Russian army was only four years old.
"It is deeply disgusting and unacceptable that innocent children are used as tools of war. That such barbaric tactics are used is a disgrace to humanity. Those responsible must be brought to justice," said Kindernothilfe CEO Carsten Montag.
Sexual violence as a tactic during war
Carsten Montag pointed out that sexual violence against civilians is often a targeted tactic used by the military.
In the study, the authors cite the assumptions of Robert Nagel and Anna Lejava, who work at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, according to which the Russian military does not have clear instructions on the prohibition of sexual violence against civilians.
They emphasize that this tactic is used in Ukraine to terrorize the Ukrainian population and subjugate it. In addition, they emphasize that "Russian forces have used sexual violence as a military tactic in past armed conflicts."
Documented cases of sexual violence are only the tip of the iceberg
The authors of the study, which is based on interviews with scientists, employees of non-governmental organizations and state institutions, assume that the number of unregistered cases of sexual violence against children is extremely high, because there is a lack of data from parts of Ukraine at the front, as well as from the areas occupied by Russia .
Parents and children in territories liberated by the Ukrainian army also rarely report incidents of violence because they fear stigmatization, as well as the possibility that Russian soldiers might return.
Also, cases of sexual violence are often not registered, because children do not know that they have been exposed to it or they blame themselves for what happened to them. Another reason for silence, according to experts, is distrust in state institutions, insufficient sensitivity of investigators, inadequate measures to protect victims and the absence of compensation from the state. All this complicates investigations and criminal proceedings.
"We will probably see most cases of sexual violence already after the end of the war. Colleagues from other countries told us that they are still receiving new evidence - 20 to 30 years after the end of the conflict," said Darija Čekalova, deputy director of the NGO "Djevojke", during the presentation of the study. She added that it is necessary to increase the level of awareness of the problem in order to destigmatize it.
Child victims of sexual violence need help
The authors of the report welcome the newly formed department of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine to deal with cases of sexual violence related to the conflict and the new method of investigation under the "victim-centered approach". "These are bold steps in the right direction, but they should be used not only for conflicts, but also for general cases of sexual violence," study author Judith Striek said at a press conference.
Regarding the total number of cases of sexual violence against children, the organization's experts cited figures recorded by the Office of the Chief Prosecutor of Ukraine in 2023 - 915 cases. However, here too, experts suggest that the problem is actually much bigger, as a large number of cases go unreported.
Kindernothilfe director Carsten Montag called for the expansion and introduction of more accessible initiatives and support services such as the child protection center already operating in Ukraine. In his opinion, this will help protect children from further crimes.
"There is also an urgent need for more trained psychotherapists who specialize in the treatment of war trauma," Montag said.
In the run-up to the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which will be held in June this year, Kindernothilfe calls for more attention to be paid to the perspective of affected children.
"For the recovery of Ukraine to be successful, it is necessary not only to invest in infrastructure and the economy. Future generations must be empowered and their voice must be heard," emphasized the general director of the charity organization.
Kindernothilfe has been fighting for children's rights around the world for 65 years. As of 2022, it supports more than two million children in 36 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe. In Europe, Kindernothilfe is represented in Germany, Luxembourg, Austria and Switzerland.
After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Kindernothilfe, with the support of Alliance Development Helps, began supporting refugees from Ukraine, initially distributing humanitarian aid in Moldova and Romania, and from autumn 2022 in Ukraine itself. In total, in 2022 and 2023, 12 projects of the organization covered about 22,000 children and their families in Ukraine.