Sexual Violence in Russia's War Against Ukraine: Visibility, Discourses, and Support for Survivors

Since the beginning of the unjustified and unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, international and Ukrainian human rights organizations have documented cases of laws-of-war violations against civilians in Russia-controlled areas, including repeated rapes, gang rapes, mutilation of genitals, and sexual slavery. The presentation addresses the following questions: How widespread are rape and other forms of sexual violence in the Russian aggression against Ukraine? Where are the spaces for survivors to have their voices heard?  How sexual violence in Russia's war in Ukraine is (mis)represented and instrumentalized in political, media, and public discourses? What challenges face survivors in terms of medical, psychological, social, financial, and legal support? What tools and resources are needed to support survivors through their healing process? 

Dr. Marta Havryshko is a Research Associate at the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Also, she is a URIS Fellow at Basel University and a member of the International Research Group "Sexual violence in Armed Conflicts." She published extensively on the gender dimensions of WWII and the Holocaust. Currently, she is developing her book project on sexual violence during the Holocaust in Ukraine.