• Sexual violence is widespread in Sudan, with 3,396 women and girls treated for assaults from January 2024 to November 2025.
• The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are primarily responsible, using sexual violence as a weapon against civilians.
• MSF warns that reported cases are only a fraction of the actual violence occurring amidst the conflict.

Reports from medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) indicate that sexual violence is being systematically used as a weapon of war in Sudan, reflecting a dire humanitarian crisis. From January 2024 to November 2025, at least 3,396 survivors of sexual assault sought treatment in MSF-supported facilities, predominantly in North and South Darfur. The overwhelming majority of these victims, approximately 97%, are women and girls, with many cases involving multiple perpetrators, particularly from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias. These details illustrate a shocking trend where sexual assault is described as a "defining feature" of the ongoing conflict, according to BBC and Al Jazeera.

Testimonies gathered by MSF reveal harrowing accounts of gang rapes and brutality faced by women in everyday situations, such as gathering firewood or traveling to markets. One survivor recounted, "They took us to an open area. The first man raped me twice, the second once, the third four times," highlighting the extreme violence involved. MSF clarifies that the figures presented in their report represent only a minority of the total cases, with many survivors unable to access necessary healthcare due to ongoing insecurity, stigma, and displacement, according to Africanews and India Times.

The humanitarian situation is dire, with survivors often facing significant delays in accessing medical treatment. Many must travel long distances to reach healthcare, and most arrive after critical time limits for treatment, which can prevent infections and unintended pregnancies. "Healthcare practitioners consider the first 72 hours after an assault as a golden period," noted an MSF midwife, emphasizing the urgent need for increased support and services. This appealing call for action is corroborated by findings from multiple sources, including LA Times and BBC.

The report stresses that these acts of violence are often aimed at specific ethnic communities, particularly the non-Arab groups in the region, which adds an ethnic dimension to the warfare. The RSF has been implicated in systematic attacks designed to instill terror and humiliation in these communities. As such, MSF has called for urgent action from the international community, including an enhanced presence of the United Nations to address the humanitarian needs of affected populations, as indicated by Al Jazeera and Africanews.