A Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight

There Is Nowhere Safe: Survivors of Sexual Violence in Darfur Need Urgent Care

In Darfur, Sudan, sexual violence is not isolated. It is widespread, systematic, and ongoing.

"This War Is Being Fought on the Bodies of Women and Girls"

Medical teams from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have treated at least 3,396 survivors of sexual violence between January 2024 and November 2025 offering critical medical and psychological care in the midst of an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Many survivors are never able to reach medical facilities due to persistent insecurity, the stigma associated with sexual violence, and the severe lack of accessible healthcare services in affected areas.

For countless individuals, fear of retaliation, social exclusion, or simply the absence of nearby clinics prevents them from seeking the help they urgently need.

TAWILA, surviving sexual violence in Darfur — MSF uses community-based approaches in Tawila to help identify survivors of sexual violence in Daba Naira displacement camp, in North Darfur state, western Sudan.However, systemic, social, and security-related barriers still prevent many survivors from accessing or completing essential medical and psychological care.

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Violence Beyond the Frontlines

This violence is not confined to active combat zones.

In many cases, assaults involve multiple perpetrators and are carried out deliberately to terrorise entire communities.

Survivors report being attacked during everyday activities such as collecting water or farming, along escape routes while fleeing conflict, and even within overcrowded displacement camps where they should be safe.

Beyond the immediate violence, many are left to endure rejection, stigma, and silence, often without the support they need.

Without urgent medical and psychological care, the consequences can last a lifetime. Survivors frequently suffer severe physical injuries, unwanted pregnancies, life-threatening infections, and deep psychological trauma.

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How MSF Is Responding

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams are providing:

🔴 Emergency medical treatment for survivors
🔴 Psychological support and trauma care
🔴 Sexual and reproductive health services
🔴 Referral pathways and community-based support

But the needs are overwhelming and resources are limited. You can help survivors access lifesaving care.

Your donation can provide emergency medical treatment, essential post-rape care kits, psychological support services, and safe access to healthcare for people affected by violence.

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Why Your Support Is Critical

Support Women and Children in Crisis

Your support is critical because survivors need immediate, free, and confidential care to begin healing.

This includes access to safe spaces, trained medical staff, and treatment within critical time windows, as well as long-term psychological support to address the deep trauma they have experienced.

At the same time, there is an urgent need to scale up protection services, strengthen healthcare systems, and ensure that every survivor is treated with dignity and compassion.

MSF is calling for a rapid increase in humanitarian support to meet these urgent needs and ensure that no survivor is left without care.

Help Us Deliver Urgent Medical Care

Every moment without care increases the risk of long-term harm. “This war is being fought on the backs and bodies of women and girls. Displacement, collapsing community support systems, lack of access to healthcare, and deep-rooted gender inequalities are allowing these abuses to continue across Sudan,” says Ruth Kauffman, MSF emergency health manager.

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Rimeh, a community focal point in Daba Naira camp, North Darfur state, Sudan, joins an MSF health promotion session on sexual violence. Through these sessions, MSF raises awareness about sexual violence and ensures survivors know how to access care.Rimeh supports survivors in the community, helping them reach the MSF emergency clinic for medical and mental health support.

Amina*, 22, fled El Fasher, North Darfur state, Sudan, after fighting intensified between armed groups. Twelve members of her family were killed in a drone strike, including her parents, husband, and siblings. While escaping with her children, she was raped by armed men. Today she cares for her own children and four nieces and nephews.“Sometimes we spend the whole day and night without eating,” she says. “I never told anyone about the rape. Never. I have just been patient. I wish I could forget what happened to me.”

In Daba Naira camp of Tawila, in North Darfur state, western Sudan, families live in fragile straw huts and makeshift shelters that provide almost no protection from harsh weather or fire. Overcrowding and sparse materials leave many exposed to constant risk, reflecting the extreme vulnerability of displaced communities.

MSF has built two “safe spaces” in Daba Naira camp, Tawila, North Darfur state, Sudan, where mental health teams lead health promotion sessions on sexual violence and general mental well-being.These sessions support the community—raising awareness about sexual violence, promoting mental health, and ensuring that survivors know how to access care safely.