Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War in Ukraine: Assessing the Psychological Impacts and Humanitarian Responses - CANCELLED

• In Event: Violence, Legitimacy, and Social Responses in Times of War and Conflict

Abstract

Sexual violence is a pervasive yet underreported weapon of war. This paper applies feminist criminology and state crime frameworks to examine sexual violence in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. We argue that such violence is not incidental but a deliberate strategy to terrorize, humiliate, and destabilize communities. Testimonies reveal systematic sexual violence by military forces against women and children, causing severe psychological and physical harm. Institutional failures—including limited access to justice, medical care, and psychological support—further compound survivors' suffering. Despite international condemnation, enforcement remains weak, enabling widespread impunity. By framing wartime sexual violence as both an individual crime and state-enabled violence, this study exposes how gendered harm is weaponized in war. It calls for stronger accountability measures and survivor-centered policies while contributing to critical criminological research on the use of sexual violence in conflict.

Authors

• Zariah Pettus, Sam Houston State University

• Laura Iesue, Sam Houston State University

• Kathleen Ratajczak, Sam Houston State University

• Anastasiia Timmer, California State University, Northridge