Sexual violence by Russian forces is genocide against Ukrainian people

Rape and sexual violence committed by the Russian forces in Ukraine are genocide.

This is stated in the international legal report "An Independent Legal Analysis of the Russian Federation's Breaches of the Genocide Convention in Ukraine and the Duty to Prevent".

As noted, reports of sexual violence and rape in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine suggest a widespread and systematic pattern, including gang rape, rape in homes or shelters, rape of parents in front of children and vice versa.

Rape and sexual violence can be probative of genocide, as evidence of both genocidal intent and acts under Arts. II(b), (c), and (d), and Art. II(a) when followed by execution or death caused by torture.

Rape and sexual violence inflict well-documented long-term physical and biological destruction through extreme trauma, leading to suicides, sexually transmitted diseases, and an inability or unwillingness to procreate.

The extent of sexual violence in this war in Ukraine will only become known over time, although it will probably never be fully elucidated.

The analysis is a project of the New Lines Institute and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, which assembled three teams of experts to assess the subject. This included a team of legal scholars and genocide experts, a second group of open-source intelligence investigators, and linguists who were able to make use of the extensive primary source record this war has already created — of communications intercepts and testimonials.

The experts conclude that Russia bears State responsibility for breaches of Article II and Article III (c) of the Genocide Convention to which it is bound.

The Ukrainian national group is recognized domestically, internationally, and expressly by Russia in formal interstate relations and is thus protected under the Genocide Convention.

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