In the Darfur region of Sudan, and in eastern Chad, MSF teams are caring for women and girls who have survived horrific sexual violence

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Women and girls in Sudan’s Darfur region are at near-constant risk of sexual violence, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned.

The true scale of this crisis remains difficult to quantify, as services remain limited, and people face barriers in seeking treatment or speaking about their ordeal. Yet all the victims and survivors who speak with MSF teams in Darfur and across the border in Chad share horrifying stories of brutal violence and rape. With men and boys also at risk, the extent of the suffering is beyond comprehension.

“Women and girls do not feel safe anywhere. They are attacked in their own homes, when fleeing violence, getting food, collecting firewood, working in the fields. They tell us they feel trapped,” says Claire San Filippo, MSF emergency coordinator. “These attacks are heinous and cruel, often involving multiple perpetrators. This must stop. Sexual violence is not a natural or inevitable consequence of war, it can constitute a war crime, a form of torture, and a crime against humanity. The warring parties must hold their fighters accountable and protect people from this sickening violence. Services for survivors must immediately be scaled up, so survivors have access to the medical treatment and psychological care they desperately need.”