[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1068 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1068

           Condemning rape and sexual violence against women.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 8, 2024

 Mrs. Dingell (for herself, Ms. Tokuda, Ms. Salinas, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. 
 Goldman of New York, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Doggett, Ms. Wild, Ms. Garcia of 
  Texas, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Moore of 
   Wisconsin, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Mr. Levin, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. 
 Casar, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Norton, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. McGovern, and Ms. 
 Stansbury) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 
   the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
           Condemning rape and sexual violence against women.

Whereas violence against women is a global crisis that causes devastating harm 
        to women, their children, and their communities;
Whereas there has been greater attention across the world on violence against 
        women, especially when it is despicably used as a tool of war;
Whereas rape, sexual violence, and gender-based violence are horrific in any 
        context, but are especially heinous when weaponized during conflicts;
Whereas rape and sexual violence have unjustly been used as weapons of war for 
        centuries to target ethnic, political, or cultural rivals, torment 
        civilian populations, and assert and maintain control;
Whereas rape and sexual violence continue to be weaponized during modern 
        conflicts;
Whereas multiple news organizations have reported accounts of sexual violence 
        against women perpetrated by Hamas during the October 7th terrorist 
        attacks on Israel, a report from Physicians for Human Rights Israel has 
        raised concerns that the October 7 Hamas attacks included many incidents 
        of sexual assault following repetitive patterns, and photographic and 
        eyewitness evidence of the sexual violence that was weaponized by Hamas 
        during the attacks was presented during a United Nations session on 
        sexual and gender-based violence;
Whereas since fighting began in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) 
        and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, United Nations experts 
        have raised concerns about the reported escalation of violence against 
        women, including sexual exploitation, slavery, trafficking, rape, and 
        forced disappearances that appear to have been racially, ethnically, and 
        politically motivated, according to the United Nations Office of the 
        High Commissioner for Human Rights;
Whereas the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has 
        evidence that Russian soldiers have raped and committed other forms of 
        sexual violence against women between the ages of 16 and 83 since the 
        Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022;
Whereas gender-based violence has been a widespread problem in Myanmar, and 
        sexual violence has become more brutal and widespread since the 2021 
        military coup, according to the Karenni National Women's Organization;
Whereas sexual- and gender-based violence against women and girls was highly 
        prevalent during and since the conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia, that 
        started in November 2020, according to several studies;
Whereas armed gangs in Haiti have used sexual violence, including collective 
        rapes, since at least 2018, to instill fear, punish, subjugate, and 
        inflict pain on local populations to expand their control, according to 
        the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner;
Whereas abuse and assault targeting women and girls in Yemen has increased 63 
        percent since the start of the war in 2015, with adolescent girls among 
        the most vulnerable, according to the United Nations;
Whereas it is estimated that over 25,000 people were victims of sexual- and 
        gender-based crimes in Uganda during the decades-long conflict with the 
        Lord's Resistance Army that began in 1987, according to the 
        International Center for Transnational Justice, and high rates of 
        gender-based violence across the country continue to jeopardize the 
        lives of women;
Whereas decades of conflict with Israel have resulted in high levels of poverty, 
        instability, and deteriorating living conditions in Gaza that have 
        increased the risk of violence for Palestinian women and girls, 
        according to the United Nations Population Fund, and the outbreak of war 
        between Israel and Hamas and worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza is 
        compounding the risks women and children already faced;
Whereas 59 percent of Palestinian women and girls have reported experiencing at 
        least one form of gender-based violence, according to the United Nations 
        Population Fund, and news outlets have reported that Palestinian women 
        have been harassed at checkpoints and while in custody, according to 
        testimony submitted to the United Nations;
Whereas conflict-related sexual violence is vastly underreported;
Whereas rape and other forms of sexual violence are prohibited under 
        international law;
Whereas the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court considers rape, 
        sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced 
        sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence of comparable 
        gravity as crimes against humanity;
Whereas women are disproportionately affected by sexual violence during 
        conflict;
Whereas sexual violence against the LGBTQIA+ community during conflict is a 
        component of gender-based violence, linked to the imposition of moral 
        codes and societal norms that directly target the ability of all sexual 
        and gender identities to live freely, according to LGBTQIA+ human rights 
        organizations;
Whereas the consequences of sexual violence affect women beyond the cessation of 
        conflict, including pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, 
        stigmatization, and a lack of access to health care;
Whereas sexual and gender-based violence outside of conflict times continues to 
        jeopardize the lives of women;
Whereas at least 32 percent of women have experienced physical violence in 
        Pakistan, according to the United Nations Population Fund, and honor 
        killings continue to take the lives of hundreds of Pakistani women each 
        year, according to Human Rights Watch;
Whereas, since the Women Life Freedom protests that erupted in Iran in September 
        2022, there has been documented widespread use of violence and 
        mistreatment, including sexual harassment, against those who have been 
        arrested, according to Human Rights Watch;
Whereas gender inequity and sexual violence are inextricably linked, and gender 
        inequality can fuel harmful cultural and societal norms that affect 
        women's economic status and impact women's access to education, 
        supportive services, and legal protections;
Whereas other inequities caused by poverty, gender identity, disability, sexual 
        orientation, income, race, and immigration status, among others, 
        increase women's vulnerability to experiencing sexual violence;
Whereas violence against women continues to be a pervasive issue that extends 
        across borders, and an estimated 736,000,000 women worldwide have been 
        subjected to physical or sexual violence at least once in their lives;
Whereas sexual violence remains a serious problem in the United States;
Whereas sexual violence impacts millions of women within the United States every 
        year, and women from racial and ethnic minority groups are 
        disproportionately affected;
Whereas gender-based violence is prevalent in settings that are embedded in the 
        fabric of United States society, including college campuses, the 
        military, the workplace, and prisons; and
Whereas more must be done to eliminate sexual violence both within the United 
        States and communities across the world: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns violence against women in all forms, at all 
        times, and across all circumstances;
            (2) condemns the weaponization of rape, sexual violence, 
        and gender-based violence during conflicts;
            (3) stands with survivors of rape, sexual violence, and 
        gender-based violence in the United States and nations across 
        the globe;
            (4) recognizes and honors individuals and organizations 
        across the globe who are working to eliminate gender-based 
        violence;
            (5) reaffirms a commitment to eliminating sexual violence 
        and gender-based violence within the United States and abroad; 
        and
            (6) calls on members of the international community--
                    (A) to enact laws protecting survivors and holding 
                perpetrators of violence accountable for their actions; 
                and
                    (B) to prioritize the elimination of gender-based 
                violence in conflict settings.
                                 <all>