In the post-conflict period, from May 2009 to May 2012, 10 security forces pe...

In the post-conflict period, from May 2009 to May 2012, 10 security forces personnel were reported to have been involved in six incidents of sexual violence in Northern Province. That is out of a total of 307 persons accused in 256 incidents for the entire Northern Province. The involvement of security forces personnel as a percentage of the total accused stands at 5.6 per cent in the conflict period and 3.3 per cent in the post-conflict period.

It is interesting to note that the involvement of security forces personnel as a percentage of the total incidents of sexual violence is quite low, both in the conflict and post-conflict periods. In a majority of the aforementioned cases, the perpetrators have been close relatives or neighbours of the victim. Against that backdrop, the Sri Lankan authorities reject the inferences by certain organizations and reports that the presence of the military contributes to the insecurity of women and girls in the former conflict-affected areas.