Iryna Venediktova: Russians have sexually abused children and the elderly

Kateryna Tyschenko - Tuesday, 5 April 2022, 23:29

Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova has stated that Russian military personnel in Ukraine have sexually abused women and men, children and the elderly. The Prosecutor's Office is working with public organisations to develop a mechanism to help the victims.

Source: Iryna Venediktova during a coordination meeting with law enforcement and government agencies as well as the public sector on the investigation of sexual crimes, quoted by the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine

Details: According to the Prosecutor General, Russian soldiers have sexually assaulted Ukrainian women and men, children and the elderly. Law enforcement officers have been receiving intelligence information about the facts of such abuse. Messages about these crimes have been posted on social networks.

According to Venediktova: "However, the victims are keeping quiet about it. That is their choice. And this is understandable: fear, pain, despair, a total lack of trust in everyone.

We are developing an effective algorithm to help victims physically, morally and legally. NGOs will be very helpful in this course of action, because victims trust them, as the practice of combating domestic violence demonstrates. We will work in synergy here: they provide safety and therapy, and we protect victims’ rights and punish the perpetrators."

More details: Participants at the coordination meeting agreed on the need to apply international protocols to investigate such war crimes, as well as the need to examine all murdered women for possible rape.

Also discussed was the need to avoid re-traumatising the victims with doctors, investigators, prosecutors and journalists.

"We need to disseminate clear instructions for victims on how to record crimes. However, we must remember we are unlikely to be notified promptly even if [victims] want [to reach out] when there is no service in the area. It is unlikely that a victim will be able to photograph injuries with a phone camera if there’s no power supply." Venediktova stressed.