Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is prohibited under international law and can constitute a war crime, a crime against humanity, or an act of genocide. The Government supports the full implementation and strengthening of existing international legal frameworks, which provide an important basis for preventing and responding to CRSV. The principal challenge is not the absence of international legal prohibitions on CRSV, but ensuring their effective implementation, strengthening accountability, addressing impunity and improving access to justice and support for survivors.

The Government supports the use of sanctions as one tool among a broader range of measures to promote accountability for CRSV. We do not assess sanctions in isolation. They complement wider diplomatic and accountability efforts aimed at deterring atrocities, reinforcing international norms and signalling that perpetrators of these crimes will face consequences.

The Government maintains a distinct and dedicated focus on CRSV, while delivering this work as part of the wider International Strategic Framework on Women and Girls, Women, Peace and Security agenda, and efforts to tackle violence against women and girls. We recognise that while women and girls are disproportionately affected by CRSV, men and boys can also be affected. Our survivor-centred, intersectional and inclusive approach seeks to support all survivors according to their needs and circumstance.

Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is prohibited under international law and can constitute a war crime, a crime against humanity, or an act of genocide. The Government supports the full implementation and strengthening of existing international legal frameworks, which provide an important basis for preventing and responding to CRSV. The principal challenge is not the absence of international legal prohibitions on CRSV, but ensuring their effective implementation, strengthening accountability, addressing impunity and improving access to justice and support for survivors.

The Government supports the use of sanctions as one tool among a broader range of measures to promote accountability for CRSV. We do not assess sanctions in isolation. They complement wider diplomatic and accountability efforts aimed at deterring atrocities, reinforcing international norms and signalling that perpetrators of these crimes will face consequences.

The Government maintains a distinct and dedicated focus on CRSV, while delivering this work as part of the wider International Strategic Framework on Women and Girls, Women, Peace and Security agenda, and efforts to tackle violence against women and girls. We recognise that while women and girls are disproportionately affected by CRSV, men and boys can also be affected. Our survivor-centred, intersectional and inclusive approach seeks to support all survivors according to their needs and circumstance.

Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is prohibited under international law and can constitute a war crime, a crime against humanity, or an act of genocide. The Government supports the full implementation and strengthening of existing international legal frameworks, which provide an important basis for preventing and responding to CRSV. The principal challenge is not the absence of international legal prohibitions on CRSV, but ensuring their effective implementation, strengthening accountability, addressing impunity and improving access to justice and support for survivors.

The Government supports the use of sanctions as one tool among a broader range of measures to promote accountability for CRSV. We do not assess sanctions in isolation. They complement wider diplomatic and accountability efforts aimed at deterring atrocities, reinforcing international norms and signalling that perpetrators of these crimes will face consequences.

The Government maintains a distinct and dedicated focus on CRSV, while delivering this work as part of the wider International Strategic Framework on Women and Girls, Women, Peace and Security agenda, and efforts to tackle violence against women and girls. We recognise that while women and girls are disproportionately affected by CRSV, men and boys can also be affected. Our survivor-centred, intersectional and inclusive approach seeks to support all survivors according to their needs and circumstance.

Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is prohibited under international law and can constitute a war crime, a crime against humanity, or an act of genocide. The Government supports the full implementation and strengthening of existing international legal frameworks, which provide an important basis for preventing and responding to CRSV. The principal challenge is not the absence of international legal prohibitions on CRSV, but ensuring their effective implementation, strengthening accountability, addressing impunity and improving access to justice and support for survivors.

The Government supports the use of sanctions as one tool among a broader range of measures to promote accountability for CRSV. We do not assess sanctions in isolation. They complement wider diplomatic and accountability efforts aimed at deterring atrocities, reinforcing international norms and signalling that perpetrators of these crimes will face consequences.

The Government maintains a distinct and dedicated focus on CRSV, while delivering this work as part of the wider International Strategic Framework on Women and Girls, Women, Peace and Security agenda, and efforts to tackle violence against women and girls. We recognise that while women and girls are disproportionately affected by CRSV, men and boys can also be affected. Our survivor-centred, intersectional and inclusive approach seeks to support all survivors according to their needs and circumstance.

Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is prohibited under international law and can constitute a war crime, a crime against humanity, or an act of genocide. The Government supports the full implementation and strengthening of existing international legal frameworks, which provide an important basis for preventing and responding to CRSV. The principal challenge is not the absence of international legal prohibitions on CRSV, but ensuring their effective implementation, strengthening accountability, addressing impunity and improving access to justice and support for survivors.

The Government supports the use of sanctions as one tool among a broader range of measures to promote accountability for CRSV. We do not assess sanctions in isolation. They complement wider diplomatic and accountability efforts aimed at deterring atrocities, reinforcing international norms and signalling that perpetrators of these crimes will face consequences.

The Government maintains a distinct and dedicated focus on CRSV, while delivering this work as part of the wider International Strategic Framework on Women and Girls, Women, Peace and Security agenda, and efforts to tackle violence against women and girls. We recognise that while women and girls are disproportionately affected by CRSV, men and boys can also be affected. Our survivor-centred, intersectional and inclusive approach seeks to support all survivors according to their needs and circumstance.

Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is prohibited under international law and can constitute a war crime, a crime against humanity, or an act of genocide. The Government supports the full implementation and strengthening of existing international legal frameworks, which provide an important basis for preventing and responding to CRSV. The principal challenge is not the absence of international legal prohibitions on CRSV, but ensuring their effective implementation, strengthening accountability, addressing impunity and improving access to justice and support for survivors.

The Government supports the use of sanctions as one tool among a broader range of measures to promote accountability for CRSV. We do not assess sanctions in isolation. They complement wider diplomatic and accountability efforts aimed at deterring atrocities, reinforcing international norms and signalling that perpetrators of these crimes will face consequences.

The Government maintains a distinct and dedicated focus on CRSV, while delivering this work as part of the wider International Strategic Framework on Women and Girls, Women, Peace and Security agenda, and efforts to tackle violence against women and girls. We recognise that while women and girls are disproportionately affected by CRSV, men and boys can also be affected. Our survivor-centred, intersectional and inclusive approach seeks to support all survivors according to their needs and circumstance.

I refer the Honourable Member to the points I made on 8 September during the Westminster Hall debate on the conflict in Sudan, and to the answers provided to questions 21354 on 8 September on humanitarian access and HL417 on 9 June on the use of drone warfare in Sudan. Further announcements on our support for the Sudanese people will be made in due course.

The information is not held in the format requested.

The Government has listened to victims and excluded a large number of serious offences from the progression model, ensuring that offenders convicted of rape, certain child sexual offences, grooming offences and unlawful killing offences remain subject to their existing release arrangements.

Buggery is a historic offence that was repealed and replaced by offences in the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

In 2023, there were 195 IPP recalls related to further charges, 170 in 2024 and 97 in 2025. HMPPS does not record details of the alleged offence or the outcome of any subsequent court proceedings. This information is routinely published in the Offender Management Quarterly Statistics in Table_5_A_10: prison-recalls-2025.ods

Delays in the criminal justice system can have a significant impact on victims of sexual offences. This Government is taking decisive action to revive our criminal court system to reduce delays and the impact they have on all victims, including those of rape and sexual offences.

After commissioning Sir Brian Leveson to undertake an independent review of our criminal courts, on 25 February the Government introduced the Courts and Tribunals Bill. The Bill introduces measures to reduce demand on the Crown Court, protect children and modernise our court system. These measures make a commitment to reduce the Crown Court backlog and get victims their day in court more quickly. The Bill also introduces a package of crucial reforms to protect victims, particularly victims of sexual offences, from unnecessary and intrusive cross-examination about their personal lives at court.

We are supporting victims through record funding for support services, with £550 million over the Spending Review period. Victims of rape are also supported through dedicated Victim Liaison Officers, pre-trial meetings and the introduction of independent legal advisers for victims of adult rape.

Alongside wider support measures, pre-recorded cross-examination (section 28) can help reduce the impact of delays by enabling victims to give evidence earlier. The Ministry of Justice’s 2025 section 28 impact evaluation found that, between January 2019 and September 2022, the measure reduced the time between an alleged offence and cross-examination by around five months.

The judiciary has also published a new national listing framework, which makes explicit for the first time that rape and other sexual offence cases should be prioritised.

The Home Secretary has brought forward the deadline for all police forces in England and Wales to implement specialist rape and sexual offence teams to December 2027. Victims across England and Wales will benefit sooner from this change, which supports officers in having the specialist skills and knowledge to bring offenders to justice and provide the best possible support for victims.

We have provided guidance to assist forces to design and roll out these teams and are working closely with the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection on progress and to drive national consistency.