(Ottawa) International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan said he has asked Canadian officials in Ukraine and neighboring countries to ensure that all women who are sexually assaulted by Russian soldiers get the support they need, including pregnancy termination services if they so desire.
Posted at 9:01 a.m.
He said pregnant victims who fled to Poland, where abortion laws are very strict, could get help to travel to other European states and get a pregnancy termination without any problem.
Minister Sajjan stressed that Canada will respect the laws of other states, but that staff on the ground can find ways “to respectfully assist women”.
If necessary, Canada could even offer emergency visas to these women so that they can receive care in the country.
Mr. Sajjan added that Canadian officials were working with local organizations to help victims of sexual violence.
In addition, Canada has sent forensic kits to Ukraine to help police gather evidence against Russian soldiers accused of increasing sexual assaults against women and girls since the start of the armed invasion.
Minister Harjit Sajjan clarified that it was Ukraine that had made a request for these kits to examine rape victims and collect evidence against the attackers.
In particular, we can recover hair, fibers or semen from the aggressor and thus solidify a court file with a view to laying charges.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly also confirmed this week that ten Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers will help investigate sex crimes against Ukrainian women as part of a larger operation to raise evidence on war crimes perpetrated by Russia.
During a speech to the World Health Assembly last week in Geneva, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos condemned the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin who gave the order to invade Ukraine and continues to attack health facilities and health care workers.
He then went on to defend the right to abortion by saying that sexual and reproductive health should be considered part of basic care.
Canada pledged an additional $1 million last week to help the international community investigate sex crimes committed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
At a meeting in Ottawa earlier this month, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde and her Canadian counterpart, Mélanie Joly, discussed the importance of treating Russian soldiers who committed sexual assaults as war criminals. .