This report is based on information provided during interviews conducted with them, Human Rights organisations based in the North and Colombo and Government sources. During our interactions with these groups, we learnt of a disturbing trend of minors being subject to sexual violence over the last several months. In addition, we also spoke to war widows, single women and former female combatants who continue to face harassment and abuse at the hands of the military and from their own community.
The report detailed the plight of women in the Vanni region- sexual violence, trafficking and exploitation of young women, struggles of female- headed households to rebuild their livelihoods, the climate of fear and intimidation women live in, the lack of psychosocial care for survivors of sexual violence and the culture of impunity prevalent in the region. Nearly two years on, the issues highlighted in the ICG report remain mostly unaddressed by the Government and its agencies and, by all accounts, appear to have worsened.
A disturbing trend in cases of sexual violence [3] is the targeting of minors. In Kilinochchi and Vavuniya, between January and Septembder alone, we learnt of four cases of year old girls being raped by either the military or men from the community, highlighting the level of impunity in the community and the helplessness and oppression of women and children living in the North.
In May , a 7 year- old girl child in Nedunkerny, Vavuniya was raped [4] while on her way back from school. The child was punched, her ear and mouth bitten, and blood dripping down her thighs when villagers found her. The man taken into custody was a soldier attached to the Army camp in Kanakarayankulam, Vavuniya. While military personnel and those attached to the security apparatus are largely shielded from conviction or prosecution for crimes committed by them, civilian perpetrators too appear to be emboldened by the climate of impunity in the region.
In September , a 7 year old girl in Konavil, Kilinochchi was raped by her neighbour, whilst another 7 year old in Jayanthinagar, Kilinochchi was raped by her brother-in-law.
