Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), said, “sexual violence is a grotesque tactic of war.”
He added, Sexual violence is “used to brutalize, torture & repress, scarring bodies, minds & entire communities.”
Guterres called for global unity to defeat “sexual violence”, as well as, demand Justice for survivors.
According to the un.org: “The term “conflict-related sexual violence” refers to rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, forced marriage and any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity perpetrated against women, men, girls or boys that is directly or indirectly linked to a conflict.
“A consistent concern is that fear and cultural stigma converge to prevent the vast majority of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence from coming forward to report such violence.
“On 19 June 2015, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 19 June of each year the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, in order to raise awareness of the need to put an end to conflict-related sexual violence, to honour the victims and survivors of sexual violence around the world and to pay tribute to all those who have courageously devoted their lives to and lost their lives in standing up for the eradication of these crimes.”
Guterres wrote: “Sexual violence is a grotesque tactic of war, used to brutalize, torture & repress, scarring bodies, minds & entire communities.
“On the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, let’s unite to end this despicable crime & demand justice for survivors.”
