The Devastating Impact of the War for Women

Reports of sexual violence being used as a “weapon of war” by Russian forces are on the rise.

• In addition to news of attacks on civilians and families that have been displaced, there are now initial reports that Russian forces have committed sexual violence during the Ukraine invasion.
• It is too soon to know whether the cases in Ukraine are systematic. Although sexual violence as a weapon of war does not exclusively target women, they frequently bear the brunt.
• Sexual violence is known to be a deliberate tactic used in war. It dehumanizes and demoralizes opponents, knowingly inflicting trauma on civilians.
• Russian forces are known to have perpetrated sexual violence in other conflicts. Reports from wars in Chechnya, a region that tried to gain independence from Russia, detailed horrific sexual violence.
• In any war, women and girls are the most at risk, as the breakdown of institutions and communities can leave them extremely vulnerable to sexual violence and exploitation.
• According to Amnesty International, most survivors of sexual violence experience severe health issues, including mental health problems, and have almost no access to medical or psychosocial services.