On 19 June, the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine (ACA) marks the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict by recognizing the dignity, courage and rights of survivors, and by underscoring that conflict-related sexual violence must be investigated and prosecuted with the seriousness it requires.

Sexual violence linked to armed conflict is not an incidental consequence of war. It may be connected to detention, torture, ill-treatment, intimidation, humiliation, persecution, unlawful deprivation of liberty, and broader patterns of atrocity crimes. Depending on the facts, such conduct may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide. Justice efforts must therefore reflect the full gravity of the harm, including its sexual, gendered, physical, psychological and social dimensions.

While conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) has been a persistent feature of the armed conflict in Ukraine since the onset of Russia’s aggression in 2014, the escalation to Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 resulted in a significant increase in both the incidence and scale of such crimes across Ukraine. It also saw the widespread use of sexual violence, including sexual torture, particularly in detention settings.

In its judgment in Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia, the European Court of Human Rights concluded that it was “persuaded that sexual violence and rape was deployed in Ukraine following the February 2022 invasion as part of a military strategy to dehumanise, humiliate and break the morale of the Ukrainian population, as individuals and as a community, and to assert dominance over Ukrainian sovereign territory.”

A significant milestone reflecting the efforts of Ukrainian law enforcement authorities to secure accountability and justice for victims and survivors of these crimes was the unprecedented inclusion of Russian armed and security forces in the latest list issued by the United Nations of parties credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence in situations of armed conflict. This marked the first time in history that Russian armed and security forces were designated on the list.

ACA supports Ukraine’s national accountability efforts to ensure accountability for crimes committed during Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine through strategic advice, case-focused expertise, mentoring and capacity-building for the Office of the Prosecutor General, Regional Prosecutors’ Offices, the National Police of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine and other investigative bodies. This support includes work on legal qualification, evidentiary strategies, victim and witness support, and the handling of complex atrocity-crime cases involving civilians, prisoners of war and other affected persons.

A key part of ACA’s engagement concerns the development of consistent and practical approaches to CRSV investigations. ACA has supported work on standards, tools, learning materials and training designed to assist prosecutors and investigators in identifying CRSV, preserving evidence, and applying approaches that are trauma-informed and centered on the needs and rights of survivors.

ACA’s approach is grounded in the principle that justice must not come at the cost of further harm. Investigators can support justice for the victims of CRSV by ensuring the timely and comprehensive investigation of every victim’s complaint and the preservation of all available evidence. At every stage, practitioners should ensure informed consent, confidentiality, risk assessment, safe communication, careful interview planning, and access to appropriate victim and witness support.

ACA will continue to assist Ukrainian institutions in strengthening their capacity to investigate and prosecute CRSV in line with international criminal law, international humanitarian law, human rights standards and relevant EU standards on victims’ rights. This includes attention to the experiences of persons of all genders, sexual orientation and ages, and to the particular barriers created by stigma, fear, trauma and social exclusion.

On this day, ACA commends the work of Ukrainian prosecutors, investigators, civil society organizations, survivor networks and international partners who continue their efforts during Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and contribute to accountability for conflict-related sexual violence. We stand with survivors and victims of sexual violence in conflict, whose courage and resilience continue to inspire the pursuit of justice.

ACA advances justice and accountability for atrocity crimes in Ukraine by advising and assisting the Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG) of Ukraine and other relevant Ukrainian government agencies on the documentation, investigation and prosecution of war crimes and other atrocities, including genocide, crimes against humanity and aggression.

ACA is composed of five "Implementing Entities" or partner organizations: the European Union Advisory Mission Ukraine (EUAM); EU Project Pravo-Justice; Global Rights Compliance (GRC); the International Criminal Justice Initiative (ICJI) at Georgetown Law; and the International Development Law Organization(IDLO).