Actress and human rights ambassador Angelina Jolie spoke in front of British parliament on Tuesday to express her concern over ISIS’ use of sexual violence.
According to Fox News, Jolie gave an update on the progress the Sexual Violence in Conflict Committee has made, and added that ISIS uses rape against women and children “in a way we’ve never seen before.”
Jolie, who is known for her humanitarian actions, appeared at the House of Lords committee alongside the former foreign secretary William Hague to discuss their Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, which the two launched together three years ago.
“The most aggressive terrorist group in the world today knows what we know; knows that it is a very effective weapon and are using it as a centerpoint of their terror and their way of destroying and communities and families and attacking, destroying and dehumanizing,” Jolie told the House of Lords committee, according to the Guardian.
Jolie added that although society may have seen sexual violence used in the past, but nothing we have seen before can compare to what ISIS is currently doing. “This is what is beyond something we have seen before. This is actually put into their policy,” she said. “They are saying: ‘we should do this, this is the right way to build a society, so we tell you to rape.’”
The actress recalled the time she met a 13-year-old Iraqi girl who, along with her friends, had been brutally raped. “The most important thing is to understand what it’s not: it’s not sexual, it’s a violent, brutal, terrorizing weapon and it is used unfortunately, everywhere,” Jolie said.
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