A new UN human rights report issued on Tuesday details the brutality and scale of conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan since war erupted in April 2023 and its profound, long-term impacts on victims, families and communities.
The UN human rights office, OHCHR , verified 546 incidents across 16 out of Sudan's 18 states from the beginning of the conflict to mid-April of this year.
At least 838 victims were affected and all but 15 were women and girls, but these figures represent only "the tip of the iceberg".
The report finds that sexual violence has spread alongside both the conflict and displacement routes and has been used consistently to terrorise and traumatise civilians.
Weapon of war
"Unless the patterns and impacts of conflict-related sexual violence are addressed through justice, victim-centred responses and efforts to tackle stigma and discrimination, peace and social cohesion in Sudan risk being undermined for years to come," it said.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the findings confirmed his earlier warnings, following a visit to the country in January, that sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war.
"This is a war crime and, if committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack, a crime against humanity," he said.
In Darfur, there are reasonable grounds to believe that some acts of sexual violence, committed in the context of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population, may amount to crimes against humanity, according to the report.
Gang rape, sexual slavery and forced marriage
Most verified incidents were attributed to men in Rapid Support Forces (RSF) uniforms, affiliated fighters and Arab militias. Incidents were also attributed to the Sudanese Armed Forces, affiliated security actors, the Joint Forces, other armed movements and armed militias.
The report documents rape and gang rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, forced prostitution, sexual torture and trafficking for the purpose of sexual violence.
Almost a quarter of verified incidents involved gang rape. In one documented case, at least 10 men raped a girl.
The report also identifies repeated patterns, including sexual violence used to control civilian movement, abductions linked to sexual violence, sexual slavery and sexual violence in detention.
UN human rights documented the cases of at least 85 women and girls who were held in sexual slavery and forced to carry out domestic labour or generate income.
Children among the victims
At least 13 victims - women, men and children - died, mostly after brutal gang rapes, the report said, and the youngest was nine years old.
Many survivors suffered serious medical complications, worsened by the collapse or absence of functioning health facilities. At least 59 women and girls became pregnant or gave birth after rape.
The report also finds that sexual violence was committed in retaliation for perceived links to parties to the conflict and during ethnically motivated attacks.
Many ethnic Masalit victims from West Darfur said attackers asked about their tribe before raping them.
Victims reported being told in 2023: "This year, all of you Masalit girls will deliver our children," and "If you are Masalit, we will slaughter you today."
Accountability and reparation
The UN human rights chief called for timely, independent and impartial investigations into acts of sexual violence committed during the conflict.
"Persistent impunity is clearly deepening harms and reinforcing cycles of violations and abuses," said Mr. Türk.
"All perpetrators, including those exercising command responsibility, must be held fully accountable, and victims must be guaranteed access to effective remedy, including reparation."
The UN rights office urged the warring parties to take concrete and verifiable measures to prevent sexual violence.
