“If they had hope, they would speak”: The ongoing use of state-sponsored sexual violence in Burma’s ethnic communities

This study, carried out by the Women’s League of Burma (WLB), reiterates a call made in January 2014 to end sexual violence perpetrated by the military. The January report uncovered the systematic use of rape by the Burma Army as a strategy to subjugate communities across the country.

Despite willingness from the Burmese government to address the issue, the situation at the local level remains largely unchanged: women and girls are still denied basic human rights on a daily basis, and perpetrators of rights violations against women are not held responsible. For these reasons and more, the WLB is reiterating its call – with this publication – to the international community to pressure the government of Burma to establish effective judicial and non-judicial mechanisms to investigate human rights abuses.