India, April 24 -- The UN verified 3,688 cases of rape and other sexual violence committed in war in 2023, a dramatic increase of 50 per cent over the previous year, the Security Council heard on Tuesday.

Presenting her annual report, Pramila Patten, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, noted that weapons continue to flow into the hands of perpetrators while most victims remain emptyhanded when it comes to reparations and redress.

The essential, existential task we face is to silence the guns and amplify the voices of women as a critical constituency for peace, she said.

An underreported crime

The report covers incidents, patterns and trends across 21 situations of concern, including Israel and...