WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Sexual violence in conflict zones rose sharply in 2024, increasing by a quarter compared to the previous year, according to a new UN report. More than 4,600 survivors endured abuses used as weapons of war, torture, terrorism and political repression.
According to the annual Report of the Secretary-General on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, both State and non-State actors were responsible for violations in 21 countries, with the highest numbers recorded in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Somalia and South Sudan.
Women and girls made up 92 per cent of victims, but men, boys, people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, racial and ethnic minorities - together with some persons with disabilities - were also targeted, ranging in age from one to 75.
'These alarming figures do not reflect the global scale and prevalence of these crimes,' the Office of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict said.
Many attacks were accompanied by extreme physical violence, including summary executions, while stigma and harmful social reactions has often driven survivors and children born of wartime rape into deep social and economic marginalization.
The report pointed to a troubling rise in sexual violence in detention, often used as a tool for torture, humiliation and the extraction of information. While men and boys were most affected, women and girls were also targeted.
Non-State armed groups carried out such crimes to tighten control over territory and resources, and to impose extremist ideologies. Widespread availability of small arms, mass displacement and food insecurity were cited as factors that further increased the risks.
The report also noted that parties to conflict frequently blocked or restricted humanitarian access for survivors. 'The unprecedented severity and scale of destruction of healthcare facilities, and attacks, harassment and threats against frontline service providers, has severely hampered access to life-saving assistance for survivors,' said Pramila Patten, the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict.
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