紛争下の性暴力、世界は対応を ウクライナ大統領夫人

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】ウクライナの大統領夫人、オレナ・ゼレンスカ氏は２８日、英ロンドンで開かれた「紛争下の性的暴力防止イニシアティブ」に関する会議に出席し、性暴力が戦争の武器として使われている事態への「世界的な対応」を求めた。（写真はオレナ・ゼレンスカ氏）
　ゼレンスカ氏は、ウクライナ検察庁はロシア兵による１００件以上のレイプや性的暴行容疑を捜査していると説明。それはウクライナにおける紛争下で行われている実際の犯罪件数の「ほんの一部」にすぎないと語った。
　また、「ウクライナ人に屈辱を与えたり、性的暴力や性犯罪を行ったりすることが占領者の武器になっている」と指摘。「（ウクライナでは）レイプの件数が極めて多くなっていることを誰もが知っている」「彼ら（ロシア兵）がそのことを隠し立てしないからだ」と述べた。
　一方、被害者は声を上げることをためらい、加害者が戻ってきてまたレイプされるかもしれないと恐れていると強調。「（レイプを）戦争犯罪と認定し、すべての加害者に責任を取らせることが極めて重要だ」と主張した。
　さらに「この問題には世界的な対応が必要だ。兵士が何の罰も受けずに済むと考えている限り、残念ながらこうした戦争犯罪は世界中で起こり続ける」と訴えた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/11/29-13:01）

Ukraine First Lady Olena Zelenska on Monday demanded a global response to the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, saying Kyiv prosecutors are investigating more than 100 possible crimes by Russian soldiers.
Speaking at the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative conference in London, Zelenska said the investigations were just a small fraction of the true number of such crimes being committed in the Ukraine conflict.
The opportunities for the occupiers widened to humiliating Ukrainians and unfortunately, sexual violence and sexual crimes are within their arsenal, she said.
Everyone knows about the huge numbers of rapes, she told delegates on the first day of the UK government-hosted event.
They're (Russian soldiers) very open about this.
But victims are afraid to speak out over the stigma and fears that those responsible may return and do it again, Zelenska warned.
That is why it's extremely important to recognise this as a war crime and to bring all the perpetrators to account, she said.
There has to be a global response to this. Unfortunately, such war crimes will keep on going in the world as long as the servicemen think that they can go without any punishment.
The Ukrainian government has launched a support programme to help victims of the war, which Zelenska said she hoped could be a first step towards an investigation and prosecution.
Ukraine is looking to set up similar initiatives outside the country, such as in Germany and the Czech Republic, she added.
- Scourge -
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly last week announced new aid for Ukraine on a visit to Kyiv, including support for victims of sexual violence by Russian soldiers.
The conference brings together representatives of about 70 countries to tackle the scourge of sexual violence in conflict.
It has heard from Nobel Peace Prize laureates Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege, who won a joint award in 2018 for their work against the issue, as well as survivors.
Britain launched a year-long campaign to highlight the issue as part of its presidency of the G8 group of industrialised nations in 2012, which then included Russia.
Vladimir Putin attended that summit in Northern Ireland but Russia was suspended from the group in 2014 due to his country's annexation of Crimea.
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie who backed Britain's push for an end to sexual violence in conflict said in a message to the latest meeting that there has to be a decisive global response to such assaults.
When there isn't, it sends a message to both the victim and the perpetrator that we don't truly regard this as a significant crime that needs to be punished and prevented, she added.
Zelenska later met Sunak's wife Akshata Murty at Downing Street. The pair hugged and exchanged greetings before disappearing inside.
They re-emerged to hang decorations on the Christmas Tree erected outside the prime minister's official residence and office.