When Bodies Become Battlefields: The Weaponization of Sexual Violence in Sudan.

Photo by Lara Jameson on pexels.com

April 15, 2026, marked the third year of the war in Sudan, with violence between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continuing to escalate. As a result, approximately 14 million people have been forcibly displaced, both within Sudan and across neighbouring countries, amounting to the largest displacement crisis in the world. Amid the fighting, human rights violations have become the norm rather than the exception, with civilians subjected to indiscriminate airstrikes by the SAF in South Darfur, as well as extrajudicial killings and drone strikes by the RSF in El Fasher and Khartoum.

In this context, sexual violence is being systematically used as a war weapon, with most documented cases attributed to the RSF. Women and girls are being targeted not only in active conflict areas, but also in everyday settings, including “on roads used to flee violence, in fields where families grow food, [...] in markets and in displacement camps”. Many report being subjected to rape and gang rape, often committed in front of family members, as well as sexual slavery, trafficking, and forced marriage. In 2025 alone, experts recorded 330 cases of conflict-related sexual violence; however, they believe this figure to be far higher as many cases go unreported. Reporting becomes even more difficult as women and girls continue to disappear in RSF-controlled areas, further obscuring the true scale of sexual violence in the country.

The risk of sexual violence is reinforced further by blockades and instability across the country. As the SAF and RSF obstruct aid and attack humanitarian workers and local volunteers – both of which constitute violations of international humanitarian law – access to humanitarian assistance becomes increasingly difficult, leaving women and girls in an especially precarious and vulnerable position. As systems of protection collapse, they are not only at a higher risk of experiencing sexual violence, but survivors are also left without the means to navigate the trauma and stigma that accompany it. As a result, numerous women and girls in the villages of Al Seriha, Azrag, Ruffa, and Abu Gelfa, have resorted to taking their own lives, with many more survivors “contemplating suicide as a means of escaping the ongoing horrors of the conflict”.

And yet, despite being systematically targeted by the violence of the war, Sudanese women continue to sustain humanitarian efforts across the country. Through women-led organizations, they provide protection and support to women and girls, often negotiating directly with armed groups to facilitate humanitarian access. However, their work is becoming increasingly difficult to carry out. A survey by UN Women reports that 99% of surveyed organizations face difficulties in providing essential services to women and girls due to underfunding and restrictions imposed by authorities. At the same time, women humanitarian workers are themselves being harassed, raped, or killed, further dismantling already fragile systems of protection and support.

In this context, international responses cannot remain limited to statements of concern. Sexual violence constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law and can amount to war crimes in armed coflict and to crimes against humanity when systematic and widespread. Given the gravity of these crimes, greater financial and political support for local Sudanese organizations is essential. These organizations not only provide life-saving assistance to victims of sexual violence, but also remain among the few actors documenting these abuses and preserving pathways to accountability. Ensuring that these crimes are recorded and acknowledged is crucial, for there can be no meaningful pursuit of justice without recognition of the suffering inflicted upon Sudanese women and girls. 

written by Chiara Fachin