in response to growing evidence of rape and other forms of sexual violence against innocent Ukrainian women, men and children, international human rights law firm and foundation, Global Rights Compliance, has established a first-of-its-kind ‘Sexual Violence Mobile Justice Team’ to support Ukrainian authorities in delivering justice for the victims of horrific sexual crimes committed by Russian soldiers since the conflict began earlier this year.

The Sexual Violence Mobile Justice Team is formed of international and Ukrainian leading prosecutors and investigators who can rapidly deploy around the country to assist Ukraine’s investigators and prosecutors, advise and support the documentation, investigation and prosecution of rape and other horrific sexual crimes committed by Russian soldiers.

The formation of this specialist team comes amid mounting concerns that the documented ‘patterns’ of rape and sexual violence inflicted on illegally occupied peoples across Ukraine speaks to pre-planning on a more systematic level.

Evidence is emerging that children as young as 4 and grandparents as old as 85 have been subjected to rape and horrific sexual violence[1][1]. One mother, who has chosen to remain anonymous, reported to the Sexual Violence Mobile Justice Team that she was raped while her 5-year old child was in the next-door room. Its suspected that another Russian soldier attempted to rape her child orally. In another village, Russian soldiers herded women into a basement, with the intention of raping them one by one.

Some perpetrators appear to include convicted murderers and sex offenders who have been conscripted in exchange for pardons from President Putin.

The new Sexual Violence Mobile Justice Team will support the implementation of a victim- and witness-oriented approach to its operations, which is designed to support Ukraine’s response mechanisms to conflict-related sexual violence[2][2] at every stage of the investigation. This work will include assisting evidence-gathering by local authorities, supporting the analysis of this data with officials in the prosecutor’s office and enabling safe and secure support processes. The continuing development of effective Ukrainian conflict-related sexual violence policies and legislation will ensure more perpetrators are brought to account and the largest number of innocent Ukrainian survivors receive the support and see the justice that they deserve.

The Sexual Violence Mobile Justice Team is led by leading international criminal lawyer, Wayne Jordash KC, who has been helping Ukraine investigate criminal activity under Russian occupation since 2015.

Commenting on the evidence, Wayne Jordash KC, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Global Rights Compliance said: “Putin’s forces are committing sexual violence crimes on a widespread scale. The evidence shows that Russian commanders are acquiescing, encouraging, and even ordering these sexual violence crimes. The pattern of rape and other acts of sexual violence against innocent Ukrainian women, men and children suggests a desire to humiliate and terrorise civilians. Consistent with Putin and his forces stated attempt to strip a nation of its human and national identity, the crimes seem to be a deliberate attack on the very fabric of Ukraine’s society.

“The formation of the Sexual Violence Mobile Justice Team is intended as another tool for the Ukrainian justice system to use to seek justice for Ukrainian survivors. Working at the behest of the Ukrainian authorities, we will work to ensure that those who suffer these terrible crimes are supported and that Putin’s men are brought to account.”