Kantarawaddy Times
Women’s rights activist groups state that during the revolution, violence against women and children has increased significantly. They stress that there are many challenges in both speaking out about such violence and ensuring fair criminal punishment for the perpetrators.
According to the report ‘Speaking Truth To Power: Ending Military Impunity In Burma/Myanmar’ released on June 18 by the Women’s League of Burma (WLB), 963 cases of conflict-related sexual violence were documented between the 2021 coup and 2025. Karenni State alone accounts for the highest number, with 365 cases.
These are only the cases known due to reporting amidst various challenges. However, women’s groups say there could be many more unreported cases on the ground.
Following the military coup, the Karenni State was one of the earliest states to take up armed resistance across various states and divisions across the country. Gradually, as the armed revolution entered its second year, it was the first to form an interim government.
The Karenni State Interim Executive Council (IEC) was formed in 2023. From there, it gradually established various departments, including the Department of Women and Children’s Affairs. To date, the IEC has established up to 13 departments.
Furthermore, it has also formed the judicial department, one of the important pillars in nation-building, and is currently handling judicial functions. Civil society organizations analyse that as issues are being addressed through legal means, people are more able to speak out, which is why most cases are being reported in Karenni State.
In 2025, cases of child rape continue to occur, but for security and other reasons, Kantarawaddy Times has not been able to report them independently.
“Besides rape, domestic violence is everywhere. If you look carefully, at least one in every ten households faces it,” a local man from Hpruso Township explained the situation of the environment where he is living now.
“Sometimes, both the perpetrator and the victim don’t even realize it’s violence. The abuser doesn’t know he is abusing, and the victim doesn’t recognize she is being abused,” he added.
Earlier this year, a child rape case occurred in Karenni State. Local civil society organizations are also assisting with the case. It is reported that the victim remains under medical treatment.
“Especially cases in rural areas, particularly child cases, are very heartbreaking. The perpetrator is free, the damage is significant, and it’s unsatisfying. I hear some social organizations are trying to help, but I don’t know the details. It’s probably a matter that needs to be kept confidential. We can only pray for the best for the child,” said a man who is close to the incident.
Kantarawaddy Times continues to investigate whether the perpetrator will be brought to justice.
“While the case is still ongoing, the village said it’s not a rape case. Whether it is or isn’t a rape case will only be determined by the judiciary after examining the evidence and deciding ‘it is a rape case.’ However, from our side, the health evidence is solid proof that it is a rape case. Furthermore, from our initial analysis of this incident, it falls under the category of rape,” said an official from a women’s organization regarding the child rape case that occurred early in the year.
“When a rape case happens, they say the village’s name will be tarnished, or, according to their customs, they threaten not to allow them to stay in the village and to drive them out. When the family faces such threats, they become hesitant to tell the truth. Because of this, pursuing justice becomes even more difficult,” said an official from a women’s organization.
These are also among the challenges faced by those working on women’s and children’s issues. When such cases occur in rural areas, collaboration in pursuing justice is weak, therefore, leading to a lack of fair actions.
Due to these challenges, activists say it remains difficult for victims to speak out. Consequently, acts of violence often disappear quietly, unknown to the public.
The challenges faced include not only the victims but also the assisting organizations. Therefore, victims may have even less access to protection than before.
“The main issue is that whether the victim suffers domestic violence or even something small, the majority of the surroundings tend to blame the victim more, ignore it, or want to cover it up even more. This is what we are facing, and it’s still like that now. We are experiencing situations where pressure is put on the victim’s family in various ways, and threats are made,” said an official from a women’s organization, describing the current situation during the interim period.
According to data from the Karenni Women’s Organization (KNWO), from 2021 to May 2025, there were 5 cases of sexual violence, 10 cases of psychological violence, 2 rape cases, and 9 cases of physical violence, with a total of 26 cases in Karenni State. These are only the cases handled by KNWO, and the actual number could be higher.
Activists analyze that although the activities and ability to speak out for women’s issues have not weakened during this revolutionary period, the reduction due to various circumstances provides good opportunities for those who want to bully women and young girls.
Demands for immediate justice for the ongoing rape and murder incidents and for the protection of victimized women and girls are frequently seen in statements lately.
In Karenni State, the bodies of deceased women are often found, but investigations have not yet reached conclusions on the causes of death.
Recently, although there have been increasing reports of SH (sexual harassment) cases on social media, a woman close to someone who spoke out said there are no mechanisms yet to carry out effective action.
Even if legal action cannot be taken yet, social punishment through methods like not working with them or not engaging in projects they are involved in is possible. However, in recent incidents, the woman analyzed that the action taken has mostly been limited to the perpetrator being expelled from the various organizations they were part of.
“Another thing is that in conflict areas, violence involving armed actors is prevalent. This is hard to address. The impact is on female comrades. It’s hard to expose, and power is abused to cover it up. Then there are a lot of sexual harassments in the environment. Even among family and relatives, there are inappropriate comments and touching,” said a man regarding the increasing SH incidents and the situation in Karenni.
In rural areas, when the aforementioned incidents occur, they are usually resolved through traditional customs. In some areas, even if child rape occurs, social organizations note that it is difficult to speak out due to fears that the village’s name will be tarnished.
“If they get involved in these cases, in villages, there is mutual hatred. For example, ‘because he testified, our family ended up like this.’ They don’t necessarily want real justice, but also don’t want to face further social conflicts between families within the village.”
This is just one of many reasons why even village elders themselves hesitate to speak out when violence against women, especially child rape, occurs in rural areas. An official from a women’s organization stated that this has been a persistent challenge faced by women activists themselves through the ages.
