This International Women’s Day, Imperial War Museums (IWM) announces full details of the UK’s first major exhibition dedicated to highlighting sexual violence in conflict. Six years in the making, Unsilenced: Sexual Violence in Conflict will open at IWM London. This free exhibition aims to shed light on the pervasive and devasting nature of sexual violence in conflict, a topic that remains under-discussed.
Unsilenced will feature case studies from the First World War to today, examining how and why sexual violence is perpetrated, its impact on victims and survivors and the pursuit of justice and reconciliation. Visitors will encounter 162 objects, including never-before-seen items, as well as testimonies and interviews with experts including journalist and author of Our Bodies, Their Battlefield: What War Does to Women, Christina Lamb; and journalist and former Chair of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council, Sarah Sands. The exhibition will also highlight the ongoing work of four NGOs working in the field of sexual violence, and include curatorial notes, as IWM re-examines its collections to tell these important stories for the first time.
Sexual violence in conflict does not take place in a vacuum. From wartime propaganda and gender stereotypes to the protection of soldiers, Unsilenced will consider how conflict can reinforce and exacerbate inequalities, creating the circumstances in which sexual violence occurs.
Through personal testimony, papers and artwork, Unsilenced will investigate the different ways in which sexual violence in conflict can manifest. Exhibits exploring the sexual slavery of both the ‘Comfort Women Corps’ in the Second World War and of Yazidi women and girls by ISIS in 2014 will examine state-sanctioned sexual violence. Case studies of sexual abuse against evacuees during the Second World War and the violence of the Soviet Red Army in Berlin in 1945 will highlight how the power imbalances that conflict creates can lead to unchecked abuses. Through looking at the treatment of Les Tondues, French women accused of having sexual relationships with German soldiers whose heads were publicly shaved after the Second World War, and the treatment of Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib at the hands of US service personnel in 2004, Unsilenced will also explore how sexual humiliation can be used to assert dominance and break morale.
Unsilenced will spotlight ongoing and historic battles for justice and reconciliation. A newly acquired miniature Statue of Peace (Sonyeosang) explores the grassroots activism and fight for justice by the ‘comfort women’ of Korea. Through looking at the work of TRIAL International and The Forgotten Children of War Association, Unsilenced will explore the legal challenges of children born from sexual violence– and how it took until 2022 for Bosnia and Herzegovina to acknowledge children born as a result of sexual violence during the Bosnian War 1992–1995 as civilian victims of war.
Working with four key NGOs leading the fight against sexual violence in conflict, Unsilenced will highlight their role in rebuilding communities: Women for Women International, All Survivors Project, Free Yezidi Foundation and Waging Peace. On display will be photography by photojournalist Hazel Thompson highlighting the support Women for Women International gives to women survivors of war to rebuild their lives; a traditional cloth toub titled ‘Peace by Piece’, created by Sudanese women affected by the war in collaboration with Waging Peace; policy and testimony from All Survivors Project, the only international NGO dedicated to addressing acts of sexual violence in conflict against men and boys; and a handmade animal toy created by women through Free Yezidi Foundation’s programme to empower women through training, job opportunities and income generation.
Helen Upcraft, Lead Curator of Unsilenced: Sexual Violence in Conflict, said:
“Sexual violence is a devastating aspect of conflict and very difficult to talk about. This silence creates significant barriers to recovery, justice and lasting change. Survivors face immense challenges in sharing their stories, while the public lacks the knowledge or language to talk about these issues with confidence. By raising public awareness and deepening understanding of sexual violence in conflict, Unsilenced aims to inform visitors, empower survivors and contribute towards meaningful change in the fight against sexual violence in conflict.”
Sara Bowcutt, Managing Director of Women for Women International – UK, said:
“Wherever conflict erupts, sexual violence is present – but no statistics will ever capture the true scale of this horrific crime. For each rape reported in connection with a conflict, the UN estimates that 10 to 20 cases go undocumented. Sexual violence has become predictable in conflict settings, but it is preventable – and that starts with speaking out. That’s why Women for Women International is so proud to partner with Imperial War Museums on Unsilenced: Sexual Violence in Conflict and to be contributing stories of the women we serve, raising their voices higher. These topics are tough – but with rising conflict and the global rollback of women’s rights worldwide, they have never been more urgent.”
Unsilenced: Sexual Violence in Conflict will be accompanied by a programme of events, including the IWM Institute Annual Lecture delivered by the Nobel Prize winner Dr Denis Mukwege, on conflict-related sexual violence, as well as a symposium later on in the exhibition’s run.
Unsilenced: Sexual Violence in Conflict, 23rd May – 2nd November 2025 IWM London
This exhibition includes cases of rape, sexual humiliation, torture and child abuse in conflict. IWM advises that this exhibition is only suitable for those aged 16 or over. A list of external support networks can be found at the end of the exhibition.
About
Women for Women International invests where inequality is greatest by helping women who areforgotten — the women survivors of war and conflict. Since 1993, our global community has invested in the power of over 570,000 women across 17 conflict-affected countries, to create a ripple effect that makes the world more equal, peaceful, and prosperous.
Through Women for Women International’s Stronger Women, Stronger Nations Programme, women learn the skills they need to rebuild their families and communities. In Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Sudan, women who join the programme connect with each other to form support networks, are equipped with the skills to earn an income and save, gain knowledge and resources to care for their families and defend their rights. Women use their power together, passing it on to neighbours and their children for lasting change.
That is the power of women, for women.
Over the next ten years, our goal is to scale our impact to improve the lives of millions of the most marginalised women affected by war and conflict. Our vision is to create a world in which all
women determine the course of their lives and reach their full potential. To learn more about the power of women, for women, visit womenforwomen.org.uk or follow @WomenforWomenUK on social media.
UK Charity Registration Number: 1115109
