Submission to the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment: Input for the upcoming report on “Global Trends and Developments on Torture.”

All Survivors Project (ASP) is an international non-governmental organisation that supports global efforts to eradicate conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) and strengthen national and international responses to it through research and action on CRSV against men and boys.

Among ASP’s objectives are to ensure accountability for CRSV against men and boys, and to support access to justice and to timely, safe, ethical, quality and gender-sensitive healthcare for male victims/survivors.

Summary

1. All Survivors Project (ASP) makes this submission to the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in response to the call for input to her upcoming report on “Global Trends and Developments on Torture,” due to be presented at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in October 2025.
2. ASP has been documenting cases of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) against men and boys and providing an integrated package of interventions concerning CRSV in Ukraine since 2024, in partnership with civil society, UN agencies and the Ukrainian Office of the Prosecutor General (“OPG”). This submission specifically sets out ASP’s observations and concerns regarding the responses to sexual violence against men and boys in the conflict, including the investigation and prosecution of wartime sexual torture and the rehabilitation of victims and survivors.
3. In the period between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025, the Government of Ukraine has taken important steps to implement the recommendations outlined in the last report of the Special Rapporteur to the UN General Assembly,[1] for example in relation to offering reparations to CRSV survivors, improving the coordination of service provision for CRSV survivors, and strengthening investigative and prosecution mechanisms for CRSV cases. Challenges remain, however, in providing full access to integrated services for both civilian and military CRSV survivors, in destigmatising CRSV against men and boys, and in coordinating evidence-gathering for prosecutions, among other challenges.

Sexual violence against men and boys in the conflict in Ukraine

1. According to available data collected by ASP through desk research and field visits, initial accounts of CRSV committed against Ukrainians since the 2022 full-scale invasion by Russia predominantly involved women.[2] However, UN and other reports have documented information on an increasing number of cases of Ukrainian men being subjected to CRSV, particularly in detention settings. Most cases of CRSV against men involve Ukrainian military personnel being held as prisoners of war (POWs) by Russian military forces and their auxiliaries. Of the former POWs and detained medical personnel interviewed between March 2023 and August 2024 by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), 119 out of the 174 reported being subjected to rape, threats of and attempted rape and castration, beatings and electric shocks to their genitals, and sexualised humiliation.[3] Ukrainian civilians detained by Russian forces on various charges (often held in the same Russian penitentiaries or remand centres as military detainees) have also been subjected to sexual violence as a form of torture to deter expression of support for Ukraine; many of these civilians are men, including veterans and civilian men of conscription age.[4] CRSV against civilians outside of detention settings has also been reported, affecting mostly women in Russian-occupied territories.[5] There is limited information about sexual violence committed against boys and LGBTQIA+ people in the conflict.
2. Although exact detainee numbers are not known, it is believed that the majority of Ukrainian civilian and military detainees are men, and that significant proportions of both have been subjected to the recurrent use of CRSV. [6] Survivor accounts indicate that sexualised torture occurred at various stages of the detention process, including during intake and interrogation. The perpetrators involved were personnel from the Russian armed forces, the Federal Security Service, the Russian Federal Penitentiary Services, prosecutors and the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.[7]
3. CRSV against Russian POWs in Ukrainian detention has also been recorded but to a lesser extent. More than half (104 of 205) of the detainees interviewed between March 2023 and August 2024 by OHCHR had been subjected to torture or ill-treatment, with 10 individuals (~5%) reporting sexual violence.[8]

Responses and Services for Survivors in Ukraine

1. As noted by the Special Rapporteur on torture during her last visit to Ukraine, the Government of Ukraine, international agencies and local civil society have responded to the pattern of CRSV in important ways, including responding to male survivors.[9] Different mechanisms and services have been put in place to document and investigate incidents, offer rehabilitation to survivors, and prosecute perpetrators. And these mechanisms and services are coordinated by bodies such as the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (“ACA”) and the Inter-Cluster Coordination system. The Protection Cluster, composed of UN agencies and civil society, has a gender-based violence sub-cluster within which there is a Working Group on the Needs of Male Survivors of Sexual Violence.[10]
2. At the governmental level, the Office of the Prosecutor General created a new CRSV unit within its office as well as nine regional war crimes units with mobile investigation capacity and DNA laboratories, all working in tandem with one another.[11] Prosecutors have also been advised to treat acts of sexual torture as both torture and sexual violence, ensuring maximum penalties for that crime.[12] As of November 2024, the Prosecutor General’s Office documented 316 cases of CRSV, 202 of which related to women survivors and 114 concerning men survivors.[13] As of December 2024, 88 cases of CRSV involving accused Russian servicemen were under investigation, with 28 cases involving 40 perpetrators coming to trial. Sentences were passed against five perpetrators in absentia, with three sentenced to 12 years, and two others for 10 and 11 years.[14]
3. Various international agencies are supporting documentation and investigation efforts into CRSV cases, for example through developing manuals to guide prosecutors and service providers supporting all women and men impacted by CRSV [15] and for male survivors specifically.[16] Significant documentation and reporting of CRSV cases by  civil society is also occurring, gathering evidence to share with established accountability mechanisms and establishing best practice, although coordination remains a challenge. In response to concerns about the lack of specific legal and regulatory frameworks in place to handle evidence and protect witnesses and CRSV survivors, [17]  a new law, No.4012-IX, was adopted by the Ukrainian Parliament in October 2024, bringing the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine in line with international standards.[18] The new law on “Improving the Procedure for Pre-trial Investigation and Court Proceedings in Criminal Proceedings on Crimes Related to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence” codifies a victim-centred approach to CRSV cases, outlines the investigative powers of actors such as the National Police of Ukraine and stipulates how court proceedings should take place for CRSV cases.[19]   
4. ASP has identified a shortage of affordable legal services at the national level available for survivors of CRSV. Some legal support is available for criminal proceedings, but not for civil proceedings, for example related to accessing social services. ASP also notes there is a lack of legal representation for survivors seeking international accountability, partly due to the limited practical experience of Ukrainian lawyers in engaging with international mechanisms. However, through the introduction of free legal aid for victims of CRSV by the Government of Ukraine, there has been a concerted effort to address legal needs at the national level.[20]
5. Regarding the rehabilitation of survivors of CRSV, the Special Rapporteur noted on her last visit to the country, that the Ukrainian authorities offer immediate rehabilitation to released detainees through the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. Survivors are medically assessed, offered a rehabilitation plan and referred to judicial authorities. Furthermore, the Government of Ukraine, with support from the United Nations Population Fund, established 12 relief centres for survivors of CRSV, each in a different city and offering services such as psychosocial counselling, legal aid, social support and specialised help. [21]
6. While efforts to rehabilitate CRSV survivors should be commended, survivors have reported to ASP that the standard medico-forensic examination used to assess their health after release is problematic, with procedures being superficial, delayed, focused only on the physical aspects, and not reflecting the true extent of harm experienced.[22] Other survivors have also reported insufficient support for their physical and psychological needs.[23] Pilot rehabilitation programmes have mostly focused on female survivors.[24] This is partly due to the limited availability of specialised healthcare providers that are able to respond to the specific needs of male survivors,[25] and the lack of medical professionals sensitised about male-directed CRSV.
7. According to CRSV survivors interviewed by ASP, social services and financial support have also been lacking, particularly for civilian former detainees who, unlike military personnel, are entitled to a state salary. Civilian former detainees have also described meeting bureaucratic hurdles in receiving recognition of their survivor status with the Ministry of Integration.[26]  A pilot project on interim reparations for survivors of sexual violence was set up by the Global Survivors Fund to give one-time compensation to up to 523 Ukrainian civilian CRSV survivors; the project had disbursed funds to 303 men, 209 women and 11 children (one boy and 10 girls) by February 2025.[27] To offer a more long-term solution to CRSV survivors, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted a bill in December 2024 on their legal status (Law No. 4067-IX), the first legal act to define sexual violence and offer a legal framework for emergency services and monetary payments to survivors.[28] The implementation of the law is yet to be seen, with some concerned about the Government of Ukraine’s ability to fully fund payments and services for CRSV survivors.

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[1] UN General Assembly, Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Note by the Secretary-General,18 July 2024, UN Doc. A/79/181.

[2] See for example, SBV Sub-Cluster Ukraine, Gender-Based Violence in Ukraine, Secondary Data Review, 27 April 2022.

[3] Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Treatment of Prisoners of War and Update on the Human Rights Situation in Ukraine 1 June – 31 August 2024, 1 October 2024, para. 30.

[4] World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT): ZMINA Human Rights Center and Media Initiative for Human Rights, “You’re loyal to Ukraine – Are you a Nazi?”: Torture and other violations as crimes against humanity by the Russian army in Ukraine, 18 July 2024, pp. 41-42.

[5] The Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Ukraine: Investigating Wartime Sexual Violence, 4 March 2025.

[6] Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, Update by the Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine at the 57th session of the Human Rights Council, 23 September 2024.

[7] OHCHR, Treatment of Prisoners of War and Update on the Human Rights Situation in Ukraine 1 June – 31 August 2024, 1 October 2024, para. 33.

[8] OHCHR, Treatment of Prisoners of War and Update on the Human Rights Situation in Ukraine 1 June – 31 August 2024, 1 October 2024, paras. 54 – 57.

[9] Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Visit to Ukraine: Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Alice Jill Edwards, 20 March 2024, UN Doc. A/HRC/55/52/Add.1.

[10] Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Sub-Cluster Working Group on the Needs of Male Survivors of Sexual Violence, Terms of Reference, 17 February 2023.

[11] Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Visit to Ukraine: Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Alice Jill Edwards, 20 March 2024, UN Doc. A/HRC/55/52/Add.1, para. 96.

[12] UN General Assembly, Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Note by the Secretary-General,18 July 2024, UN Doc. A/79/181, para. 38.

[13] The number of cases is likely much higher. See United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Men in detention face sexual torture amid war in Ukraine, 26 November 2024.

[14] Human Rights Watch, World Report 2024-Ukraine, Events of 2023.

[15] Council of Europe, Working with victims of sexual violence during armed conflict: A Manual for Ukrainian prosecutors, December 2024.

[16] Gender-Based Violence Area of Responsibility (GBV AoR), Guidance Note – Working with Male Survivors of Sexual Violence in Ukraine, 18 December 2023.

[17] ZMINA, ULAG, Ukraine without Torture, Freerights Association and OMCT, Alternative Report to the UN Committee Against Torture on Ukraine’s implementation of its international obligations under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 2025, pp. 75-76.

[18] Inter-Agency Working Group on Combating Sexual Violence Related to Russia’s Armed Aggression against Ukraine and Assistance to the Survivors (IAWG), Outcomes of the realization of the Plan for the implementation of the Framework of Cooperation between the Government of Ukraine and the United Nations on the Prevention of and Responses to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, Reporting period: 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024, May 2025.

[19] Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Input to the Special Rapporteur on Torture’s report on Identifying, Documenting, Investigating and Prosecuting Crimes of Sexual Torture Committed during War and Armed Conflicts, and Rehabilitation for Victims and Survivors, 2024, p. 8.

[20] Ukraine, The Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Part 1 of Article 14 of the Law of Ukraine “On Free Legal Aid” to Expand the List of Persons entitled to Free Secondary Legal Aid’ No. 2238-IX,3 May 2022, available at The Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Part 1 of Article 14 of the Law of Ukraine “On Free Legal Aid” to Expand the List of Persons entitled to Free Secondary Legal Aid’ No. 2238-IX.

[21] UNFPA Ukraine, Survivor Relief Centres provide lifesaving psychosocial support to people affected by the war.

[22] Physicians for Human Rights, Supporting Survivors of Torture and Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Ukraine, How to Improve Medico-Legal Documentation and Access to Justice, 27August 2024.

[23] Human Rights Watch, World Report 2024, Events of 2023

[24] Inter-Agency Working Group on Combating Sexual Violence Related to Russia’s Armed Aggression against Ukraine and Assistance to the Survivors (IAWG), Outcomes of the realization of the Plan for the implementation of the Framework of Cooperation between the Government of Ukraine and the United Nations on the Prevention of and Responses to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, Reporting period: 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024, May 2025, p. 10.

[25] The Guardian, “‘Carved on bodies and souls’: Ukrainian men face ‘systemic’ sexual torture in Russian detention centres”, 29 October 2024.

[26] Ukrainian Women’s Fund, La Strada Ukraine, JurFem, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Office of the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy and the European Union, Ukraine is Not Silent: Chronicles of Fighting Against War-Related Sexual Violence (2022 – 2024), 2025.

[27] Inter-Agency Working Group on Combating Sexual Violence Related to Russia’s Armed Aggression against Ukraine and Assistance to the Survivors (IAWG), Outcomes of the realization of the Plan for the implementation of the Framework of Cooperation between the Government of Ukraine and the United Nations on the Prevention of and Responses to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, Reporting period: 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024, May 2025.

[28] Human Rights Watch, Ukraine Parliament Adopts Bill on Legal Status of CRSV Survivors, 12 December 2024.