Angelina Jolie gave an impassioned speech at the House of Lords yesterday, warning about rape being used as a weapon by ISIS and others to terrorise and destroy communities in war zones.
The UN Special Envoy spoke as part of a committee on sexual violence in war, as a follow on from last year’s global summit of 100 countries who gathered to tackle the issue. Over the course of an hour – and with the ex-UK Foreign Secretary William Hague also attending – Angelina made confident, well-informed contributions to the meeting.
She stressed: “I think the most important thing to understand is what it's not. It's not sexual, it is a violent, brutal terrorising weapon. Unfortunately it is everywhere, in and out of conflict in every country basically. I can't think of one where there is not this issue.”
She also added that rape was being used as a policy amongst ISIS fighters: “They are saying, "We ask you to rape. You should do this, this is the way to build a society'." They know it is a very effective weapon and they are using it as a centrepoint of their terror and their way of destroying communities and families, and attacking and dehumanising.”
The actress has spent time in places of conflict and with the victims of sexual assault and painted a grim picture about the systematic rape of girls and women. One harrowing story included girls being repeatedly raped and then sold for the sum of £26.
She suggested that: “Laws need to change, policies need to change, governments and leaderships need to come together and that will make the real change.” Let’s hope they listen and take action.
By Laura Martin