Angelina Jolie today called on governments around the world to “turn the tables” on perpetrators of sexual violence against women, men and children in warzones.
The Hollywood actress and human rights campaigner set out her vision for a new international body to investigate sexual violence and for government aid departments to dedicate one per cent of their budgets to support victims.
Writing exclusively in the Standard today ahead of her appearance at the Fighting Stigma through Film festival in London, she said: “The immense stigma around sexual violence benefits perpetrators who count on survivors being too ashamed or vulnerable to seek justice. It is time we turned the tables upon them.”
Thousands of women, girls, men and boys have been sexually abused in conflicts including Syria, South Sudan and Myanmar and calls are being made to break the cycle of near-impunity for those responsible.
“It is intolerable that we effectively punish survivors more than perpetrators, simply by our collective failure to provide justice or change cultures that minimise or condone violence against women and stigmatise survivors,” said Ms Jolie.
The Oscar-winner worked with former foreign secretary Lord Hague to set up the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative in 2012. She praised Britain for leading the way but wants an independent body to launch local or international prosecutions.
Fighting Stigma through Film is held today and tomorrow at the British Film Institute
