Sexual Violence in Wars Called Systematic, Worsening

Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, briefs the Security Council during the meeting on women, peace and security.

Sexual violence against women and children in conflict must not be seen as collateral damage but as a deliberate tactic of war, Denmark’s UN envoy Christina Markus Lassen told the Security Council on August 19.

She spoke following the release of the UN Secretary-General’s 16th annual report on conflict-related sexual violence, which recorded a 25 percent increase in such cases compared to the previous year. The report highlighted sexual violence being used as torture, against prisoners of war, and as a strategy to terrorize communities.

Women and girls made up 92 percent of victims, while cases involving children rose 35 percent. Victims ranged from infants to the elderly. Firearms were involved in 70–90 percent of cases. The highest numbers were recorded in the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Somalia, and South Sudan.

The report identified 63 state and non-state parties responsible or suspected of committing sexual violence. A new appendix listed countries under watch for potential future inclusion, naming Russia and Israel for alleged violations.

Russia rejected the claims, calling the report “biased” and denying evidence of sexual violence by its forces. Moscow also criticized UN monitoring bodies as “anti-Russian” and politically motivated.

Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten warned that the figures still underestimate the true scale due to underreporting, stigma, and lack of safe channels for survivors. Many women are killed after attacks, silencing cases further.

The report stressed that sexual violence is used to enforce control over territory, extract information, recruit fighters, and spread extremist ideologies. Survivors often face lifelong stigma, exclusion, and poverty.

Council members called for accountability, sanctions on repeat perpetrators, survivor-centered support services, and consistent funding to strengthen prevention and protection efforts.

“Conflict-related sexual violence is not collateral damage,” Lassen said. “It is strategy, it is systematic, and it is growing.”