Sexual violence increased during conflicts in 2023, denounces the UN

According to a United Nations report, this violence is committed by state or non-state armed groups, most often acting “with complete impunity”.

Rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution… Sexual violence linked to conflicts has “intensified” in 2023, warns a UN report published Friday April 19. This increase is due to the emergence of new conflicts and the escalation of existing conflicts, as well as the proliferation of weapons and the increased militarization of wars, estimates UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in the report.

This violence is committed by state or non-state armed groups, most often acting “with impunity”. They are “used as a tactic of war, torture and terrorism”, continues the report which discusses the situation in Afghanistan, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burma, Sudan, Mali and even Haiti.

Women are “the vast majority” of the victims

The victims are “in the vast majority” women and girls, but “men, boys and people of diverse gender identities have also been affected”, most cases reported in places of detention. This is the case in the West Bank. The UN notably confirms the existence of“arrests and [de] detention of Palestinian women and men by Israeli security forces after the October 7 attacks”, who were accompanied of “sexual assaults, such as kicks in the genitals and threats of rape”. The report also mentions the reporting of violence “similar” committed in Gaza by Israeli forces.

Regarding accusations of sexual violence committed by Hamas during the unprecedented attacks of October 7, “there are reasonable grounds to believe that sexual violence” such as rape and gang rape were committed on at least three sites on October 7. And regarding the hostages taken by Hamas to Gaza, there are “clear and convincing information” that in particular rape and sexual torture “were inflicted on women and children during their captivity”. And “reasonable grounds to believe that such violence could continue.”

In this context, the Secretary General calls for “the issue of sexual violence linked to the conflict is taken into account in all political agreements and ceasefire agreements”. He also calls on the Israeli government to treat the detainees “with humanity”And “to authorize without further delay the competent United Nations agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into all alleged violations.”