Russian forces use rape as part of the “military strategy” in Ukraine
Pramila Patten, Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, confirmed that rape is part of Russia’s “military strategy” and a “deliberate tactic to dehumanize the victims,” Forbes reports.
“When women are held for days and raped, when you start to rape little boys and men, when you see a series of genital mutilations, when you hear women testify about Russian soldiers equipped with Viagra, it’s clearly a military strategy,” she said.
According to Patten, the United Nations managed to verify more than a hundred cases of rape or sexual assault in Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. The report “confirmed crimes against humanity committed by the Russian forces, and according to gathered testimonies, the age of the victims of sexual violence ranges from 4 to 82 years old,” Patten said.
The victims are mostly women and girls, but also men and boys, she added.
