WOMEN UNSILENCED: Non-State Torture statement to Commission on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice

The Thematic Discussions of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on the
Implementation of the Kyoto Declaration, 10-12 November 2021
Thematic Session 1: Addressing the causes, including the root causes of crime; enhancing evidence-
based crime prevention and promoting tailor-made crime prevention strategies (10 November 2021)
Jeanne Sarson delivery (Linda MacDonald supporting)1

Excellencies,

Responding to thematic session 1, we call for the initiation of a declaration, to address the
elimination of non-State torture (NST) human right violations of women and girls. Torture
perpetrated by non-State actors, is a root “means,” used in violent crimes, inflicted against
women and girls of all ages, as a social group. Non-State torture victimizations are generally
unnamed, unacknowledged, and unpunished. Yet take many forms, inter alia: non-State torture
inflicted by organized criminal groups, committed predominately against women and girls in
sexualized human trafficking, in prostitution, in emerging pornographic cybercrimes, with
specific attention to the commercial sexualized exploitation of the girl child, inflicted within
family and non-family relationships; non-State torture of women during their smuggling journey,
of migrant women in domestic labour, and in forms of modern day slavery practices or servitude;
non-State torture relating to harmful practices against the girl child, in “child marriage,” in the
name of “honour,” and in female genital mutilation (FGM); non-State torture of women and
girls held in captivity, when kidnapped, and inflicted against women during civic uprisings; and
the non-State torture of women human right defenders.
1 As independent scholars this statement represents our professional expertise of 28 years including the grass root
support of women who survived non-State torture and human trafficking inflicted by family and or non-family
torturer-traffickers. This statement is not representative of the position of the NGO the Academic Council on the
United Nations System (ACUNS) which grants us as members this independent opportunity. We are also Associate
Members of The Alliance which supports members’ interventions.

Such a declaration recalls Resolution 65/228, wherein the Commission on Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice, strongly condemns all forms of violence, whether perpetrated by non-State
actors or condoned by the State, and calls for its elimination in the family, and within the
community. A declaration to address non-state torture crimes, would be similar to the Vienna Declaration on
Femicide, and create a model strategy to promote global awareness and prevention, in its call to
action to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, 5.1-5.2 to eliminate all forms of
discrimination, and violence against women and girls, in their public and private lives; goal 8.7
to end forced labour including of children, modern slavery, and human trafficking, and goal 16.2,
to eliminate all forms of abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and torture of children. Such a declaration would ensure “leaving no one behind.” Thank you.

25 Nov, 2021