Recognition and justice for victims of sexual violence in conflict

Patten and her team, tasked to gather, analyze, and verify information on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) from October 7 onwards, documented clear evidence of severe sexual acts such as rape, torture, and humiliation. Incidents of rape and gang rape occurred at several locations, notably the Nova music festival, Highway 232, and Kibbutz Re’im.

The team found a patten of victims, mostly women, who were partially or fully naked, their bodies shot and mutilated, across multiple locations.

While acknowledging the circumstantial nature of this evidence,
the team concluded it indicates deliberate sexual violence, including sexually motivated torture and cruel treatment. The team was also convinced that this violence persists against the remaining hostages.