Headline: ‘Trauma that echoes across generations’: UN highlights weaponisation of sexual violence
Source: The Guardian
Date: March 8, 2023
Author: Vivian Yee
Summary:
The United Nations has issued a report highlighting the alarming rise in the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and its devastating intergenerational consequences. The report, released on International Women’s Day, documents how sexual violence is being systematically employed in conflicts around the world, targeting women, girls, men, and boys.
The report emphasizes that sexual violence is not just a byproduct of war but a deliberate strategy used to terrorize, humiliate, and control populations. It serves as a tactic to break down social cohesion, displace communities, and perpetuate cycles of violence.
The report notes that the weaponization of sexual violence has devastating long-term effects that ripple across generations. Survivors often suffer from physical and psychological trauma, reproductive health issues, and social stigma. Children born to survivors of sexual violence may also face health and developmental challenges.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, condemned the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and called for an end to the impunity that often surrounds such crimes. The report urges governments and international organizations to strengthen their efforts to prevent sexual violence, provide support to survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable.
Key Findings:
- Sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war in at least 18 conflict-affected countries.
- Women and girls are disproportionately targeted by sexual violence, but men and boys are also victims.
- Sexual violence has severe physical, psychological, and social consequences for survivors.
- The trauma of sexual violence can be passed down through generations, affecting children and grandchildren.
- Impunity for sexual violence is widespread, contributing to its continued use as a weapon of war.
Call to Action:
The UN calls for urgent action to:
- Prevent sexual violence in conflict-affected areas.
- Provide comprehensive medical, psychological, and legal support to survivors.
- Hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes.
- Challenge the stigma and discrimination faced by survivors.
- Promote gender equality and empower women and girls.
‘Trauma that echoes across generations’: UN highlights weaponisation of sexual violence
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