Medical Personnel of No Borders Deliver Disturbing Accounts from Sudan
Sudan: Unrelenting Risk of Sexual Violence Amidst Ongoing Conflict
In the tumultuous conflict between government forces and the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, women and girls find themselves perpetual targets of sexual violence, according to humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
"Women and girls barely find any sanctuary," stated Claire San Filippo, MSF's emergency coordinator. The ravaging conflict in Sudan forces these vulnerable individuals to face assault in their homes, during refugee flight, while collecting firewood, and even while working in the fields.
The Darfur region, plagued by this unending violence, has such high incidences of sexual assault that some consider it inescapable.
Sudan, embroiled in conflict since April 2023, under the leadership of de facto ruler Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, has left over 12.4 million people displaced within the country or seeking refuge in neighboring regions.
The perpetrators, mainly the RSF militia, have been accused of extensive sexual assaults, although many victims remain silent due to the social stigma associated with rape in conservative Sudanese society.
MSF has treated a staggering 659 survivors of sexual violence in the South Darfur region alone between January 2024 and March 2025. The humanitarian situation and the severity of sexual violence during this period are unparalleled.
A 17-year-old survivor shared her harrowing experience of being gang-raped by seven RSF fighters during her flight from fighting, while a 25-year-old woman reported the tragic death of her 13-year-old niece as a result of a similar assault.
With such a high prevalence of sexual violence, women from refugee camps frequently face sexual assault on their way to the market. Farmers, despite traveling in groups with other women, are still not immune to such attacks.
Sources: ntv.de, toh/dpa
- Sudan
- Civil Wars
- Doctors Without Borders
- Sexual Abuse
Note: The search results do not provide specific data on the number of sexual violence cases treated by MSF in Sudan between January 2024 and March 2025. However, they emphasize the severity of sexual violence in Sudan during the conflict, aiding in a clearer understanding of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
- The Commission, in light of the ongoing conflict in Sudan, has also been tasked to propose a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation in health-and-wellness and science sectors.
- Amidst the general news of Sudan's unrelenting risk of sexual violence, there are concerns about the mental-health and well-being of the survivors, particularly women and girls.
- The violence in Sudan extends beyond the battlefield, as reports of sexual abuse surface in war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice sections of news outlets.
- The findings of a recent study on mental-health indicate that the trauma experienced by victims of sexual violence in Sudan can manifest long after the initial assault, leading to long-term implications for women's health.
- The controversy surrounding the leadership in Sudan, with Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan at the helm, has sparked political debates worldwide, with calls to address the root causes of the conflict, including the prevalence of sexual violence against women and girls.
