by
Tamador Mubarak
December 6, 2023
This post is also available in: Arabic
Trigger Warning and Disclaimer: the content that you are about to read contains graphic and sensitive experiences of the Sudan war. Reader discretion is advised. Read our full editorial notice here.
On April 15, 2023, an armed conflict broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in several regions of Sudan. The brutal conflict has witnessed heinous war crimes including murder, rape, and forced displacement committed against civilians.
In this article, I will analyze the phenomenon of sexual violence against women and girls in this conflict, and highlight its forms, causes, and effects on society. I will also provide some recommendations to reduce this problem and rehabilitate its victims. This commentary aims to raise awareness of the gravity of these war crimes and demand that the perpetrators be held accountable and protect the rights of women and girls in Sudan.
Women and their children walk in Tabit village in the North Darfur region of Sudan. Source: Abd Raouf/AP
Forms of sexual violence against women and girls in the Sudan war
According to reports by local and international human rights organizations, this phenomenon includes rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, forced abortion, and other forms of torture and humiliation irrespective of the age, social or ethnic group of women and girls.
Women from different professions, religions, and parties, and girls from different educational levels and dreams, were exposed to it. ¹²³ These forms show the extent of the cruelty and brutality of the perpetrators, and their insistence on subjugating and humiliating their victims in the most horrific ways.
April 15 War Survivors Initiative
Rape is an unforgivable stigma in Sudanese society, so diligent efforts must be made to help survivors overcome this painful incident. Therefore, the April 15 War Survivors Initiative was created, and it aims to support survivor women psychologically, legally, and medically, and provides full privacy and confidentiality. As it serves as a safe space that tells the survivor that you are strong, what happened is not your fault and you are not alone.
Causes of sexual violence against women and girls in the Sudan war
Some of the motives for the rampant sexual violence can be categorized as political, social, and psychological. Politically, the Rapid Support Forces are accused of committing most of these barbaric crimes. The RSF, a paramilitary force with Arab lineage from Darfur and Kordofan in western Sudan, was formed in 2013 by former president AlBashir to establish a “well-trained, well-equipped, and centrally integrated security force that could be deployed against threats to its regime.”
The RSF is notorious for atrocities committed since the 2000s, wrecking havoc in civilian villages in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. These militants enjoy great immunity and authority. They use rape as a weapon to prove their power and influence and to send a message to opponents and protesters that they cannot protect themselves or their families.
Fighters of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Source/AFP
From a social perspective, sexual violence against women and girls in Sudan’s war falls within a broader context of discrimination and oppression faced by the female gender in Sudanese society. Women and girls suffer from unequal opportunities for education, work, health, and justice, and violations of their rights in areas such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and circumcision. They are also subjected to unjust laws that limit their freedom of movement, dress, expression, and a patriarchal culture that justifies or turns a blind eye to violence against them.
Psychologically, the perpetrators of sexual violence against women and girls in Sudan’s war reveal a distorted personality that lacks empathy and conscience. These perpetrators may have been affected by traumatic events in their past or may have received harsh military training that instills in them the idea of superiority over others by force. They may also use rape as a way to cope with the feelings of fear, anger, or pressure they feel in wartime conditions.
The effects of sexual violence against women and girls in the Sudan war
Sexual violence against women and girls in Sudan has negative effects on different levels including health, psychological, social, and economic.
From a health perspective, sexual violence increases the risk of infectious diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and venereal diseases (STDs), injuries, and bleeding in the reproductive organs. This is in addition to unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion, premature birth, and death during or after childbirth. Sexual violence can also lead to deterioration in the general health of victims due to malnutrition, stress, and neglect.
Psychologically, sexual violence leaves deep and lasting effects on the victim’s psyche, such as shock, fear, depression, anxiety, low self-confidence, and feelings of guilt and shame. It can also lead to psychological disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, and suicide.
From a social standpoint, sexual violence negatively affects victims’ relationships with their families and communities, as they may be exposed to marginalization, discrimination, isolation, and expulsion. Sexual violence can also undermine women’s role in society, increasing their risk of forced marriage, giving up education, or losing job opportunities.
From an economic angle, sexual violence leads to the loss of important material and human resources for development, as it increases the costs of health care, legal care, and relief for victims, and reduces their productivity and contribution to the economy. Sexual violence exacerbates poverty, migration, and insecurity.
Poignant illustration of the current crisis. By Sarah Mohamed/Al Jazeera
Recommendations to confront sexual violence against women and girls in the Sudanese war
To put an end to this cruelty and rehabilitate the victims, I recommend the following;
Ending the conflict, bringing peace and stability to Sudan, and ensuring respect for human rights and international humanitarian law by all parties involved.
Holding perpetrators accountable by ensuring the law intervenes to cast justice, and that every perpetrator is held accountable. Justice must prevail.
Supporting victims by providing them with comprehensive services including health, psychological, social, and legal care. Protecting their privacy and dignity is paramount.
Increase awareness of the urgency of this sexual violence disaster wave, and sensitize the masses to ensure behavior change in cultures and customs that justify or facilitate its occurrence. Reinforce the role of civil society and the media in monitoring and highlighting the issues.
Enhancing the role of women in peace-building and development by ensuring their participation in decision-making at all levels, protecting their rights to education, work, health, and access to justice.
Tamador Mubarak
Tamador Mubarak is a writer for newspapers and websites from Sudan. She graduated from the Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Omdurman Islamic University, born in 1993. She writes about various topics, whether social, political, health, or economic. She has an interest in women’s issues. I received a training workshop provided by UNFPA regarding writing reports, concerning gender-based violence, I believe that word is capable of bringing about change in societies. Therefore, attention must be paid to the field of content creation in a way that serves the progress and renaissance of societies, and I always strive to rise to this challenge with continuous work.
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