On 24th February 2025, Ukraine will mark the third anniversary of the full-scale war by Russian forces. There is evidence that Russian soldiers use sexualized violence as a war tactic – even against children. This constitutes a war crime and one of the most serious violations of children's rights. The effects on the victims and their families are devastating,ranging from physical injuries to long-term emotional pain and developmental disabilities.

Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, prosecutors have documented 335 cases of conflict-related sexual violence, among them 17 children (16 girls and one boy, Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office, December 2024). Cases include rape, threats and attempts to rape, mutilation and other forms of violence to genitals, forced nudity as well as forcing to watch sexual abuse of a family member.