insert_link Africa Women in Sudan Suffer Systematic Sexual Violence Reuters says a Human Rights Watch report indicates that women in Sudan's South Kordofan state have been subjected to repeated rape and some have been held as sex slaves by fighters from the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias. The RSF, which has been engaged in a brutal 20-month conflict with Sudan’s army, has denied accusations of widespread abuse during the war, which has displaced over 12 million […] todayDecember 17, 2024 11
insert_link Africa U.S. Sanctions Sudanese RSF Commander Over Human Rights Abuses in West Darfur The United States imposed sanctions on Abdel Rahman Juma Barkalla, a commander of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, citing his involvement in human rights abuses in West Darfur. Reuters says the U.S. Treasury Department reported that Barkalla led RSF operations in the region, marked by credible allegations of severe human rights violations, including civilian targeting, conflict-related sexual violence, and ethnic violence. todayNovember 13, 2024 6
insert_link Africa Women victimised by RSF in Sudan conflict Several women have taken their lives after being raped by paramilitary fighters during the civil war in Sudan's Gezira state. According to the BBC, the Rapid Support Forces continue their advance in the territory but RSF has denied UN accusations linking them to increased sexual violence, claiming the allegations are unsupported. The head of the UN World Food Programme, Cindy McCain visited the aid hub in Port Sudan this week […] todayOctober 31, 2024 4
insert_link Africa 11 Million internally displaced in Sudan Rising violence and new atrocities in Sudan have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, with over 11 million people displaced amid reports of mass killings and widespread sexual violence, according to UN officials. “The situation in Sudan is catastrophic; there’s no other way to describe it. Hunger, disease, and sexual violence are rampant. For the people of Sudan, this is a living nightmare,” warned Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization […] todayOctober 30, 2024 16
insert_link Africa Physicians for Human Rights record increase in rape cases in Eastern DRC A new report published by a medical charity known as Physicians for Human Rights says the armed conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo has led to a massive increase in cases of sexual violence against women and girls. Chris Ocamringa reports. The eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has witnessed a sharp increase in conflict-related sexual violence since 2021, compounding the suffering caused […] todayOctober 23, 2024 22
insert_link Africa Sexual violence in South Africa: women share their stories about the dangers of commuting on minibus taxis Commuters getting into a minibus taxi in Johannesburg. Rich T Photo By Jarred H Martin, University of Pretoria Millions of people use minibus taxis to get around South Africa every day. These “pillars of public transport” (which are privately owned and run rather than operated by the state) account for 66.5% of all public transport on the country’s roads. The vast majority of minibus taxi commuters come from […] todaySeptember 9, 2024 16
insert_link Entertainment Baby Reindeer: how the Netflix TV show brings a fresh perspective to male sexual victimisation By Dimitris Akrivos, University of Surrey This article discusses sexual assault and contains spoilers for Baby Reindeer. Baby Reindeer is a gripping new Netflix show based on a true story and adapted from an acclaimed play by Scottish actor Richard Gadd. The show delves into the harrowing experiences of its main character, Donny (a fictionalised version of Gadd), whose life unravels after he becomes the target of […] todayApril 24, 2024 29
insert_link Africa Children born of rape: the devastating legacy of sexual violence in post-genocide Rwanda By Myriam Denov, McGill University Trigger warning: this article contains accounts of sexual violence. The 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi led to the murder of more than 800,000 people, an estimated 70% of the country’s Tutsi population. The unprecedented violence and mass killings of Tutsi and non-extremist Hutu were carried out over 100 days between April and July 1994. An estimated 250,000–500,000 women and girls were […] todayApril 9, 2024 8
insert_link Africa Have you ever suffered intimate partner abuse? We asked girls in Malawi and 40% said yes By Anthony Idowu Ajayi, African Population and Health Research Center and Elita Chamdimba, University of Malawi Intimate partner violence starts early. Around one in four girls aged between 15 and 19 worldwide have already been subjected to physical or sexual violence. Girls who experience abuse in their childhood face increased and disproportionate levels of intimate partner violence later in life. Pregnant and parenting girls are even more exposed […] todayApril 8, 2024 7