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As the civil war in Sudan continues, the United Nations recently released a troubling report detailing a rise in sexual exploitation of children.
Sudan’s civil war that has been waged between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has brought extreme abuses against children among the other things, says latest reports.
Between 2023 to now, over the period when the civil war in Sudan exploded, the number of sexually abused children has been growing in the tens of thousands, a UNICEF report indicates.
221 sexual assaults were reportedly committed in nine states alone in 2024, of which 16 were committed on children under the age of five years, and four were reported to be babies under the age of one year. An additional 77 cases of sexual assault against children were documented with reported victims being 66% female and 33% male.
These numbers may only represent a small portion of survivors, as many families fear stigma and do not have access to required care services, and thus, cannot report offences.
The UN has condemned the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in Sudan, pointing out that it is employed to humiliate, control, and intimidate groups. Approximately 12 million women and girls, and growing numbers of men and boys, are being threatened by this kind of violence – an unprecedented 80% increase from 2024.
Earlier this month, Amnesty International released a report on Rapid Support Forces (RSF) widespread use of sexual violence against women and girls in Sudan. The organization’s Senior Director for Regional Human Rights Impact, Deprose Muchena said, ‘The RSF’s assaults on Sudanese women and girls are sickening, depraved, and aimed at inflicting maximum humiliation.’
Children have been sexually violated during urban invasions, in flight from danger, and even for sustenance or other necessities. Such occurrences cause deep psychological trauma that persists long after the healing of physical wounds.
