Acting for the benefit of victims: acting President of the Criminal Cassation Court within the Supreme Court Nadiia Stefaniv joins the event on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict

Speakers at the event pointed out that such violence is a manifestation of the genocidal policy of the aggressor state, a weapon used by the Russian military in the war in Ukraine, and the most silent crime against the civilian population, as many victims are afraid to talk about their experiences.

At the same time, the truth about the crimes committed by the occupiers should be made public and known to the whole world, because Russia's responsibility for the crimes committed by its troops must be inevitable. Such publicity and the conviction of perpetrators can also have a preventive effect.

During the full-scale war, Ukraine has created an effective mechanism for responding to cases of sexual violence: it has strengthened the system of providing social, psychological, legal and medical services to victims and witnesses of violence; it has revised approaches to the work of law enforcement agencies with citizens who have been subjected to violence, as well as to the documentation and investigation of such crimes.

Today, there are 11 help centres for survivors in Ukraine, where anyone can receive comprehensive social and psychological support. Such a centre will soon open in Prague (Czech Republic). Those Ukrainians who have been forced to seek temporary asylum abroad will also be able to apply for support.

In addition, initiatives are being developed to improve criminal procedure legislation to take account of the interests of victims of violence, and the process of developing cooperation between judicial authorities is underway.

Participants in the discussion included the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Andriy Kostin, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, and the UK Prime Minister's Special Representative for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon.

The event was organised by the NGO "UA Experts" with the support of Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

Photo from Olena Zelenska's Facebook page.