Sudan reports rise in sexual violence cases

April 7, 2024 (KHARTOUM) – Salimi Ishaq, director of the Government of Sudan’s Combating Violence against Women Unit (CVAW), revealed a disturbing trend on Sunday: a rise in documented sexual violence cases in the capital, Khartoum.

“We’ve seen a recent increase in rape cases across Khartoum State,” Ishaq told Sudan Tribune, citing 157 documented incidents.

However, gauging the true scope of the problem remains a challenge. Human rights groups report conflicting figures due to several factors. Limited healthcare access: With 80% of healthcare facilities closed, many incidents likely go unreported. And societal stigma: Conservative social norms in Sudan often lead victims to conceal sexual violence due to its association with honour.

Ishaq specifically highlighted the lack of documented cases from Al-Jaziraا State, attributing it to the collapsed healthcare system despite anecdotal evidence of violations. “Verifying rape requires medical evidence,” she explained.

The “Together Against Rape and Sexual Violence” campaign paints an even grimmer picture, documenting 266 conflict-related rapes, with a staggering 43% occurring in Al-Jazirah – a region previously controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khawatim.

These findings align with reports from March 10th by human rights and medical groups, which documented 370 cases of rape since the conflict began. The RSF was identified as the primary perpetrator in a significant number of these incidents.