Ukrainian men subjected to sexual torture in Russian lockups: UN
What's the story
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has expressed concern over the underreporting of sexual violence against Ukrainian men in Russian detention centers.
The stigma and perceived emasculation of such crimes are believed to be a reason for this underreporting.
Official Ukrainian records show 114 male victims of sexual violence since Russia's invasion in February 2022, but the UNFPA says the actual numbers could be much higher—10 to 20 times more.
Torture method
Systematic sexual violence as torture method revealed
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, set up by the UN Human Rights Council, has found systematic sexual violence being employed as a method of torture in Russian detention centers.
Testimonies reveal that high-ranking Russian officials either ordered or turned a blind eye to these abuses.
Along with 202 female survivors, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office has also documented cases of 114 male victims.
Support barriers
Barriers to support for male survivors highlighted
The UNFPA has observed that although women and girls are the majority victims, men, boys, and people of diverse gender identities are also subjected to such violence.
Male survivors face compounded barriers to support due to limited resources, ongoing war conditions, and fears of being misunderstood or labeled, Massimo Diana, UNFPA Ukraine representative, said.
These challenges are compounded by difficulties in maintaining trust and anonymity for survivors at a UNFPA-supported center in Ukraine.
Brutal tactics
Humiliation tactics and brutalities reported in detention centers
The UNFPA, citing psychologists working with victims, said that Russian forces have sent videos of male detainees being sexually assaulted to their families for blackmail or humiliation purposes.
Oleksandra Matviichuk from the Centre for Civil Liberties reported interviews with survivors who experienced beatings, rape, and electrocution.
In March, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called rape a defining characteristic of this crisis.