“We see a great demand for justice from the women who have been affected,” Lina Kushch

“Conflict-related or war-related sexual violence (CRSV) is a deliberate tool of terror and the destruction of human dignity. It is critical for the victims that society and states recognize this crime and create an effective justice mechanism.”

This was stated by the First Secretary of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), Lina Kushch, during a panel discussion on sexual violence in the context of the russian war against Ukraine, which took place in Riga as part of a capacity-building event on women, peace and security.

As a board member of the Numo, Sestry! non-governmental organization, she shared the testimonies of Ukrainian women who survived russian captivity and were subjected to systemic torture and violence (in particular, the stories of Vira Biriuk, Nataliya Shylo, Olena Pekh, Nataliya Vlasova, and journalist Victoria Roshchina (died in captivity).

“We see a great demand for justice among the affected women,” Lina Kushch emphasized. “In addition, we welcome the adoption of the law on the status of victims and call for the development of by-laws as soon as possible to open access to justice.

NUJU Information Service