Through EU support, Global Rights Compliance (GRC) is proud to have made a meaningful contribution to the latest report on “Identifying, Documenting, Investigating and Prosecuting Crimes of Sexual Torture,” presented by the Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, at the 79th General Assembly on October 25.
GRC’s submission highlights some challenges in Ukraine and the efforts of the Office of the Prosecutor General to address conflict-related sexual crimes, especially sexual torture amid the Russian aggression. The submission highlights that sexual torture is systematically occurring under Russian occupation and in detention facilities, affecting both civilians and prisoners of war.
To address these urgent issues, GRC stresses the importance of implementing trauma-informed, victim-centred and gender-sensitive investigation practices that recognize the unique experiences of all survivors and how stigma associated with sexual violence, including torture, often intersects with other prejudices and discriminatory attitudes related to survivors’ characteristics and vulnerabilities —such as mental health issues, disability, and sexual and gender diversity. Legal frameworks should be strengthened to better define and prosecute sexual torture, and specialized training for investigators and prosecutors on the complexities of such cases are being provided. Accessible reporting mechanisms are also essential, particularly in remote areas and in host countries, to encourage survivors to move forward. Access to appropriate individually tailored services is also essential.
GRC’s SGBV Mobile Justice Team is a part of the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA). The ACA is a multilateral initiative established by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom to support and assist Ukrainian law enforcement and prosecutors in investigating and prosecuting international crimes committed during a full-scale war.