The Rights Practice has produced a new report entitled “Invisible Pain Sexual and gender-based violence in Xinjiang” – which is required reading by anyone who doubts the gravity of the suffering of Uighur people and the consequences for Uighur women. They highlight intersecting forms of discrimination based on faith, ethnicity, age, class and gender, leaving Uighur women in the Xinjiang region enormously vulnerable to violence. There are reports of women being subjected to torture, rape and forced medication in detention. Other women have experienced forced abortions and sterilisation and the threat of sexual violence from officials during compulsory homestays. The violence is underreported and largely invisible to the outside world. The perpetrators appear to be public officials or persons acting with their consent or acquiescence.
As the world marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, this report puts the spotlight on the situation of Uyghur women in Xinjiang.
