The horror of war rape is a shameful scar on the world.
For centuries it has been seen as an inevitable part of conflicts. It is not —and Foreign Secretary William Hague and actress Angelina Jolie are urging global leaders to act now to prevent it.
They are hosting a summit in London, which opened today, to mobilise nations to save women, young girls, men and boys from terrifying and life-shattering sex attacks while their countries are being torn apart by war.
The Evening Standard is proud to fully support their bold and desperately needed campaign.
Today’s paper is being edited in part from the ExCeL centre, where hundreds of delegates have gathered.
This paper has supported the campaign by highlighting the plight of survivors, the stories of children born of rape and the work of Britain’s top military leaders in a series of articles.
Our coverage has shown that war rape not only devastates victims physically and mentally, but it has repercussions beyond the immediate act. It perpetuates violence and disrupts communities for generations.
London, which stood as a beacon of hope during Europe’s darkest hours, is a fitting venue for the summit. The message must reverberate out from the capital to the most far-flung reaches of the planet that war rape is a heinous crime that will not go unpunished.
Perpetrators must be hunted down and jailed for their barbaric acts, legal systems need strengthening, armies have to be better trained and victims need more support.
Crucially to achieve these aims, attitudes must change so sexual violence in conflict is seen as an evil that can and must be stopped. Sarah Sands, editor of the Evening Standard, said: “War rape is a complex problem but there is a collective will to stamp it out and change attitudes for good.”
As he toured the conference fringe, Foreign Secretary William Hague said: “The Evening Standard is doing the world proud.”
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: “We are trying to do something that has never been done before — to change the entire global attitude towards sexual violence in conflict.
“The Evening Standard’s commitment to this issue — both explaining why it matters as well as how Londoners can engage — has been admirable.”
In this great cosmopolitan city, hundreds of thousands of people have been affected by conflicts in other parts of the world, many fleeing unthinkable horrors.
It’s part of our identity in London to stand together for justice.
