Non-profit says Rohingya men also victims of sexual violence

NEW YORK – A refugee organization says new research indicates that Rohingya Muslim men and boys were victims of sexual abuse by Myanmar’s army and border police.

The Women’s Refugee Commission said in a report released Thursday that 30 of the 89 Rohingya men and adolescent boys who participated in focus groups in Bangladesh “personally knew a Rohingya man or boy who had directly experienced conflict-related sexual violence in Myanmar.”

The report said the most common forms of sexual violence against men reported by refugees and informants include genital violence such as burning, mutilation, electroshocks and anal rape.

Over 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after a violent crackdown by Myanmar’s military following attacks by Rohingya insurgents on Myanmar security personnel in August 2017.