The UN report, *We lost everything – even hope for justice*, finds that a legacy of impunity for wartime abuses continues to profoundly affect survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Sri Lanka. Many endure long-term physical injuries, psychological trauma, and social exclusion. The report draws on over a decade of UN monitoring and consultations with survivors, civil society, and experts, highlighting how systemic failures have left victims without justice or protection.
Sexual violence during the conflicts, including the civil war between Government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from 1983 to 2009, and earlier insurrections in the 1970s and 1980s, was widely used as a tool of intimidation, punishment, and control. Survivors, both women and men, continue to face stigma, intimidation, and surveillance, which leads to widespread under-reporting and a lack of effective remedies. One survivor described sexual violence as “a torture that never stops.”
Despite the end of hostilities in 2009, militarization, emergency legal frameworks, and a weakened rule of law have allowed gender-based violence, including sexual violence, to persist with alarming impunity. Sri Lanka’s domestic legal framework remains inadequate, lacking specific legislation on conflict-related sexual violence, with limited forensic capacity, statutes of limitation still in place, and very few prosecutions. Male and LGBTQ+ survivors are particularly invisible, with some experiences unacknowledged or criminalized.
The report stresses that recognition and accountability are critical to restoring dignity and promoting reconciliation. It urges the Government of Sri Lanka to publicly acknowledge past sexual violence, issue formal apologies, and implement survivor-centred reforms in the security sector, judiciary, and legal system. The report also calls for an independent prosecution office and guaranteed access to psychological and social support to address the ongoing needs of survivors.
