Law enforcement agencies have implemented uniform guidelines for investigating sexual violence during wartime

The Office of the Prosecutor General, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs have signed joint guidelines on the organization of pretrial investigations in criminal proceedings involving crimes related to sexual violence in conflict situations. 

The document, developed with the support of the British Embassy and international experts since 2023, establishes uniform operating procedures for prosecutors and investigators and enshrines a victim-centered approach at all stages of the process.

The guidelines provide for special training for law enforcement officers, risk assessments for victims, a distinction between the terms “affected person” and “victim,” as well as the use of less formal communication—specifically, replacing the term “interrogation” with “interview” to reduce the risk of re-traumatization. The document further regulates the procedure for interacting with the Coordination Center for Victim and Witness Support and takes into account the provisions of EU Directive 2012/29/EU as part of Ukraine’s fulfillment of its European integration obligations.

Source: Office of the Prosecutor General.

The UN has documented over a thousand cases of sexual violence against Ukrainians during the war.

As a reminder, on September 18, Ukrainian law enforcement officials announced that they had charged two employees of a Russian penal colony in the Tula region, whom investigators believe were involved in the systematic torture of Ukrainian civilian prisoners of war.