Widespread Sexual Violence in Sudan: An Everyday Tragedy

Tue Mar 31 2026 20:53:04 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A new report highlights the pervasive issue of sexual violence in Sudan, revealing that even in areas distant from active conflict, rape remains commonplace, largely attributed to armed men, particularly from the paramilitary RSF.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reports that sexual violence, particularly rape, is a defining characteristic of the ongoing conflict in Sudan, affecting communities far from active fighting. The report, based on testimonies from 3,396 survivors, outlines the brutal nature of these assaults, often committed by armed groups. The findings emphasize that such violence is entrenched in the culture of impunity and gender inequality, and highlights the urgent need for accountability.

Rape and sexual violence remain part of everyday life in areas of Sudan even when fighting in the country's civil war has moved elsewhere, according to a new report by medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

Calling rape a defining feature of the conflict, it says sexual assault is overwhelmingly carried out by armed men and is often accompanied by acts of brutality and humiliation. The report is the most comprehensive account yet on sexual violence in Sudan's nearly three-year war.

It is based on testimonies from 3,396 victims who sought treatment in MSF-supported facilities across North and South Darfur between January 2024 and November 2025. Many of the cases took place in the conflict hotspot of North Darfur, following the RSF takeovers of displaced persons camps and cities.

The leadership of the RSF has acknowledged individual violations were committed during their offensive but asserts that these incidents are being investigated and the scale of the reported atrocities has been exaggerated. Nevertheless, the report highlights how non-Arab communities are systematically targeted in these sexual assaults.

MSF emphasizes the dire humanitarian response and calls for accountability, reinforcing the need to address the urgent issue of sexual violence which is becoming disturbingly normalized in everyday life in regions such as South Darfur.