British envoy decries ‘rapid increase’ of sexual violence since coup

By Admin 26 Nov 2024

DMG Newsroom
26 November 2024, Mrauk-U

Ken O’Flaherty, head of the British Embassy in Yangon, has called for urgent measures to address sexual and gender-based violence in Myanmar, which has been on the rise since the 2021 coup.

“Sexual and gender-based violence has increased rapidly since the military took over in Myanmar. Violence includes unlawful arrests, online violence, human trafficking, sexual exploitation as well as forced marriage at a young age,” the British head of mission and chargé d’affaires ad interim to Myanmar noted. 

“Dire situations like this indicate that our ongoing collaboration is the key to taking action against perpetrators of violence,” he added.

He made the remarks on Monday, marked globally as International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The British government stands united against gender-based violence in Myanmar and around the world, O’Flaherty said.

Across Myanmar, women are experiencing not only sexual violence but also psychological and physical trauma from junta airstrikes, heavy artillery fire, and ground offensives.

One internally displaced woman taking refuge in Arakan State’s Ponnagyun Township said: “Our lives are completely unsafe. At the displacement camp, women don’t have privacy in bathing. And we live in constant fear of airstrikes.”

According to the Burma Women’s Union, six women were injured in conflict-related sexual violence in September. October saw four women killed and nine others injured.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a total of 5,729 women were detained since the 2021 coup as of October 31 of this year.