The Rt Revd Alastair Redfern, the Bishop of Derby, told Premier: "Sexual violence in conflict is something that people feel just happens in the mayhem of war, in fact a lot of it is highly organised as a way of intimidating people and using it as a weapon of war - to rape women in the community, there's sexual violence against men and boys.
"It's widespread in 19 countries in the moment and so the United Kingdom government needs to take a stand with others to try and push back and let the perpetrators know they'll be justice and let victims know that we won't be turning a blind eye."
The Bishop is part of the House of Lords Committee on Sexual Violence in Conflict, which has published a report making several other recommendations.
The Committee's recommendations include:
Government must redouble its efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflict.
The Government must avoid the temptation to narrow the focus of the PSVI solely on the Middle East or combating religious extremism.
Perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict should know they will not evade prosecution.
The report considers the atrocities committed by multiple aggressors in Iraq and Syria. The Committee accepts that it is for the courts to determine responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, as
The UK should resist any peace settlement in Syria that proposes amnesties for perpetrators of sexual violence during the conflict.
Peacekeepers sent to protect the vulnerable have, on occasions, committed sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), very often without redress. A new tribunal is therefore required to ensure accountability for peacekeepers who commit SEA.
The UK Government should push for the 'naming and shaming' of states who fail to investigate or carry out appropriate disciplinary procedures against their peacekeeping troops accused of these crimes.
The UK should work with other countries to establish a regular global conference on preventing sexual violence in conflict, to be hosted by a different state every four years.
The Government should ratify the Council of Europe's Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (the 'Istanbul Convention') at the earliest opportunity.
The report, called 'Sexual Violence in Conflict: A War Crime', is urging the Government to reduce conflict-related sexual violence. It comes alongside another project called the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI).
The report also makes clear that the Government needs to demonstrate its commitment to the PSVI and the NGOs and local organisations that are critical to delivering it.
The Government should also produce an annual report to Parliament on its progress in achieving the objectives set for PSVI, the report says.
The Bishop of Derby continued: "For many people I think this will be the first time they've thought about it and they'll often think you read the occasional story in the paper.
"In fact this crime is widespread, it's systematic and it's devastating its effect on people and it's a wrong that needs challenging.
"Victims who've been made pregnant - in one sense some of the community would see the child as one of the enemy, therefore lots of work needs to be done to support victims and communities."
Listen to Premier's Hannah Tooley speak to Rt Revd Alastair Redfern here:
