Global Rights Compliance’s (GRC) Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Mobile Justice Team (MJT) is announcing the release of the Roundtable Report following the impactful roundtable discussion held on October 3, 2024.
The report sheds light on the barriers victims of conflict-related sexual and gender-based crimes face in accessing justice, including trauma, financial burdens, and systemic inefficiencies within the legal framework. It also explores best practices to ensure a trauma-informed, survivor-centred approach by investigators and prosecutors.
The report consists of:
- Key Highlights:
- Victim Experts’ Perspectives: Insights from survivors on navigating the criminal justice system, emphasizing their resilience and concerns about exploitation, lack of privacy, and inadequate legal aid.
- Expert Analysis: Contributions from a trauma expert, on the importance of integrating psychological support into the justice process.
- Recommendations: Practical guidance to enhance survivor engagement, improve investigative practices, and foster collaboration among justice stakeholders.
The Roundtable Report underscores the importance of addressing survivors’ needs at every stage of the justice process, ensuring their voices lead the way in achieving meaningful accountability
On October 3, 2024, Global Rights Compliance’s (GRC’s) Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Mobile Justice Team (MJT) organised a unique Roundtable aimed at bridging the gap between the promise of accountability, the commitment of over-burdened criminal justice actors and the lived experiences and expectations of victims and survivors.1
Although not unique to Ukraine, many victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual and gender-based crimes (SGBC) are reluctant to engage with justice mechanisms or are pessimistic about the eventual outcome. Even those who decide to participate in the criminal justice process and obtain the legal status of ‘victim’ may face more pressing concerns in their daily life, including health issues, financial stress and trauma-related challenges that will remain unaddressed without dedicated support. In addition, victims and survivors sometimes have doubts about the usefulness of participating in the judicial process, as they do not always see its benefits. When victims and survivors participate in criminal proceedings, these processes can add to their trauma and victimisation. Prosecutors and investigators play a critical role in addressing SGBC through effective, empathetic and meaningful engagement. However, understanding the particular and multifaceted challenges faced by SGBC victims and survivors of all genders remains a significant barrier to effective prosecution and investigation.
The Roundtable provided an integrated platform for victims, survivors, national practitioners, and practitioners drawn from other conflict contexts to exchange insights on the current challenges that victims and survivors face in Ukraine, and to discuss practical solutions and guidance for supporting law enforcement authorities in integrating a trauma-informed and survivor-centred approach more consistently into their practice. It enabled participants to better understand a broader spectrum of victims’ and survivors’ experiences from reporting a crime to authorities to the conclusion of the pre-trial investigation. Ultimately, it sought to identify ways to enhance the experience of victims and survivors throughout this justice processes.
This Report is divided in three sections. Section I details the perspectives of the four victim experts who participated in the Roundtable. Section II provides insights from psychologist and trauma expert. Finally, Section III offers recommendations from victims, survivors, and law enforcement authorities to address these challenges.