Long after the guns fall silent, conflict-related sexual violence leaves lasting scars

In 2024 alone, the UN verified around 4,500 cases of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), though the real number is likely much higher. An overwhelming 93 per cent of survivors were women and girls.

Under international law, CRSV is recognised as a war crime, a crime against humanity, and an act that can constitute genocide. Its long-lasting impact undermines efforts to build lasting peace.

On Thursday, the UN marked the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, highlighting the enduring and intergenerational effects of this brutal tactic.

Tactic of war
In many conflicts, sexual violence is deliberately used to terrorise, punish and humiliate civilians.

“It is used to terrorise, to punish, but also to humiliate civilians, especially women and girls,” said Esméralda Alabre, coordinator of the UN reproductive health agency’s (UNFPA) response to gender-based violence in Sudan, speaking to UN News.

But the harm does not stop with the survivors. CRSV is often used to tear apart communities and undermine social cohesion. It fragments families, spreads fear and deepens societal divisions.