Sexual Violence Has Become the 'Defining Feature' of the World's Worst Humanitarian Crisis

""The first man raped me twice, the second once, the third four times and the fourth once," one woman recounted to Doctors Without Borders (MSF). "Apart from the rapes, they beat us with sticks and pointed guns at my head. Another girl who was 15...was raped by three men. We were raped throughout the night.""

"The MSF report states that sexual violence has become the conflict's 'pervasive and defining feature.' This highlights the systematic use of sexual violence as a tactic in the ongoing war."

"In April 2025, UN Women reported a 288% increase in the number of people in Sudan needing lifesaving support following incidents of rape and sexual violence, directly linked to the conflict."

Sudan's civil war has escalated into a severe humanitarian crisis, resulting in over 40,000 deaths and displacing more than 12 million people. The conflict, primarily between the RSF and SAF, has led to acute hunger affecting over 20 million individuals. Reports of war crimes, including targeted violence against civilians and sexual assault, have emerged. A recent MSF report documented 3,396 testimonies of sexual violence, highlighting its use as a weapon of war. UN Women noted a significant increase in those needing lifesaving support due to these incidents.

Read at Jezebel