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Rape as a Weapon of War: a Growing Problem

Thursday, June 22, 2006
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has organized a 3-day conference in Brussels focused on rape and sexual violence with delegates from 14 conflict-affected countries. It is the first conference of its kind to focus on this increasing problem. Although sexual violence during conflict is not a new issue, there is a growing amount of evidence that indicates that its prevalence is increasing. Delegates at the conference have heard first-hand testimony from women about their experience in conflict areas.

Rape as a weapon of war has been used in past conflicts, such as in Bosnia-Herzegovina where approximately 40,000 women were raped, but is also now reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, East Timor, Haiti, and Sudan. A UN declaration and additional funding is what UNFPA is calling for to better address the issue not only during the conflict, but also in refugee camps and areas of post-conflict development.

Compiled from: "Rape in war 'a growing problem'," BBC News, 22 June 2006, www.bbc.co.uk, Accessed: 22 June 2006.

For More Information

For more information on sexual violence related to war, please visit the Sexual Violence During Armed Conflict section of this website.

For more information on Bosnia and Herzegovina, please visit the Bosnia and Herzegovina country page of this website.

For more information on sexual assault suffered by refugees, please visit the Sexual Violence Against Refugees section of this website.

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