THEMATIC REPORT 2017
SEXUAL TORTURE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
5
Introduction
8 Sexual torture: An overview
9 Forms of sexual torture
9 Who are the perpetrators?
10 Who are the victims?
13 The impact of sexual torture
17 Social impact
17 Stigma, the difficulty to disclose and feelings of guilt
18 The stigmatization of sexual torture
20 Impact on family life
21 Impact on sexuality
22 Economic impact
24 Action plan for needs-based rehabilitation
25 Key Action 1: Ensure confidentiality
26 Key Action 2: Build trust and raise awareness for encouraging
survivors to speak
27 Key Action 3: Provide individual and group therapy, medical care
and pharmacological treatment
28 Key Action 4: Apply special approaches for women, promote
gender equality and tackle stereotypes of femininity and
masculinity
30 Key Action 5: Improve access to social and economic assistance
30 Key Action 6: Encourage reporting of sexual torture to the police,
improve access to legal assistance and provide support
throughout the judicial process
33 Key Action 7: Document sexual torture
34 Key Action 8: Advocate for change
Acknowledgments
This report was written by Barbara
Giovanelli based on research carried
out throughout an internship and
scholarship at the IRCT, and edited
by Lisa Haagensen and Louise
Sherwood. The IRCT thanks the
contributing member centres for
their invaluable input and insight.
In addition, the IRCT acknowledges
and thanks the Hilton Prize Coalition
for their financial contribution,
EIUC Venice, and the European
Commission, the funder of the Data
in the Fight against Impunity project.
This report has been produced with
the assistance of the European
Union. The contents of this report
are the sole responsibility of The
International Rehabilitation Council
for Torture Victims (IRCT) and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views
of the European Union.
36 Annex: Methods of sexual torture
38 Notes and references
Cover Photograph
by Christopher Sardegna on Unsplash
page 4