| Whether perpetrated by state actors or by non-state actors whom the state cannot or will not control, sexual assault is a violation of women's human rights. Women are sexually assaulted by state officials while in police or other forms of state custody; they are raped during armed conflict and as refugees; they are sexually assaulted and abused by their spouses and intimate partners. In all of these contexts, women face significant obstacles in gaining necessary protection and assistance. The stigma and shame associated with sexual violence, combined with societal norms that often blame the woman for the attack and condone the perpetrator's behavior, criminal justice procedures that put the victim on trial instead of her assailant, and laws that fail to protect her if she was not also beaten during the attack-all contribute to women's continued vulnerability to sexual assault. Advocates in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union (CEE/FSU) and around the world work to further women's human right to be free from sexual assault in a variety of ways.
Advocates work to provide necessary services to victims, including referrals, legal advice, crisis centers, and hotlines. Advocates and medical professionals have taken steps to improve hospitals' responses to the medical, psychological and emotional needs of sexual assault victims as well as to develop procedures for collecting and protecting the integrity of evidence necessary for prosecutions. Legal professionals have fought for the passage of laws that would protect victims from being revictimized during legal proceedings and for legal reforms that, among other things, would allow more effective prosecution of assailants who abused a position of trust or authority to coerce sexual contact. Advocates and educators have worked to prevent future sexual violence by creating awareness-raising programs and educational initiatives that provide information and discussion about gender roles and relationships for children and adults alike.
Critical to these global efforts has been the growing recognition of sexual assault as a violation of women's human rights. States are obligated under international law to take effective steps to protect women from sexual violence, to hold assailants accountable, and to guarantee to women equal protection of the law.
Explore the Issue
This section of the site allows users to increase their understanding of sexual assault through a discussion of theories of violence, the prevalence of the problem, the effect of sexual assault on victims, criminal justice and civil law responses to sexual assault, and strategies for protecting victims.
Research and Reports
This section of the site provides links to selected web-based materials on the sexual assault topics covered in Explore the Issue.
Law and Policy
This section of the site contains information on states' international legal obligations under both the United Nations and the European human rights systems concerning sexual assault, as well as selected national and model legislation and policies on the issue.
Training Materials
The STOPVAW site offers sample training materials on sexual assault. These materials are designed to provide advocates with basic training tools that can be adapted to the country-specific circumstances, the goals of a training program and the training audience. It is recommended that advocates use the training materials on sexual assault in conjunction with the more general Guidelines for Developing a Training Program which introduce a methodology for conducting training for the general public as well as individuals and organizations involved in addressing violence against women.
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