Horror of sexual violence in war-torn Sudan drives women, girls to suicide
Sudanese women chant slogans near the home of a demonstrator who died of a gunshot wound sustained during anti-government protests in Khartoum. There has been a surge in sexual violence since the chaos broke out in the country.
What you need to know:
- Hundreds of girls and women have been raped and gang-raped since the start of civil war in April 2023 due to a power struggle between RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces, the healthcare providers say.
- Between April 2023 and February 2024, they reported caring for 262 survivors of sexual violence, including men and boys by providing them with direct medical care, and psychosocial support.
Militia from the Rapid Support Forces (RPF) in Sudan raped a mother and her four daughters in front of her husband and sons.
Immediately after, they put them under some sort of house arrest. They were barred from leaving their home. The inhumanity continued; they repeatedly raped them for days.
Sadly, by the time they sought medical help, one of the daughters had already been impregnated. This is a testimony of a health worker in Khartoum who attended to the mother and the daughters. And this is captured in a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) released on Monday, July 29, 2024.
The report is based on interviews with service providers, including healthcare workers, as well as social workers, counsellors, lawyers, and members of local ‘emergency response room’ volunteers.
Hundreds of girls and women have been raped and gang-raped since the start of civil war in April 2023 due to a power struggle between RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces, the healthcare providers said.
Between April 2023 and February 2024, they reported caring for 262 survivors of sexual violence, including men and boys by providing them with direct medical care, and psychosocial support.
Most victims came from Khartoum North and Omdurman, they said. HRW indicated that they were unable to directly interview the survivors because of “serious logistical and ethical challenges”.
Nidal Taha, a member of the emergency response room in Khartoum, said the horror had driven many of the victims to attempted suicide.
“They are facing immense mental, physical and psychological suffering, and they need help,” she said during the virtual launch of the report.
RSF spokesperson, Lt. Col Al-Fateh Qurashi, told HRW in response to a right-to-reply letter that they have “always taken all necessary measures to prevent sexual violence and all other forms of violence that constitute human rights violations”.
“The response failed to concretely address the allegations of sexual violence, or provide evidence that they have carried out effective investigations into allegations of sexual violence by their forces, far less hold any to account,” HRW said in the report.
It recommends increased funding from international donors to support response, clinical management of rape, and mental health and psychosocial services for the survivors.
