Sexual violence used as a 'weapon of war' since start of Sudan conflict, UN says

Sexual violence has being used “consistently as a tactic and weapon of war” since the conflict in Sudan erupted three years ago, according to a new report by the United Nations Human Rights Office.

Researchers verified 546 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence in 16 of the country’s 18 states from the start of the war until mid-April this year.

The UN’s Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk is calling for independent and impartial investigations.

“Persistent impunity is clearly deepening harms and reinforcing cycles of violations and abuses,” Türk said.

“All perpetrators, including those exercising command responsibility, must be held fully accountable, and victims must be guaranteed access to effective remedy, including reparation.”

The report documents 838 victims, the majority of them women but also including girls, men and boys. Those figures represent just the tip of the iceberg, the report states, pointing to persistent underreporting of cases.

Documented forms of sexual violence documented include rape and gang rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, forced prostitution, sexual torture, and trafficking for the purpose of sexual violence.

At least 13 victims died, mostly following brutal gang rapes, according to the report. The youngest was nine years old.

In Darfur, there are 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, the report says.

Most of the verified cases were attributed to the Rapid Support Forces and its affiliates, but incidents have also been attributed to the Sudanese Armed Forces and associated groups.