Rape me, not my daughter - Testimony from the frontline of Sudan`s 17-month civil war

Sudan is teetering on the brink after 17 months of devastating civil war. The conflict has torn the nation apart, and the army has recently launched a major offensive in Khartoum, attempting to regain control from its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). While the RSF holds much of Khartoum, the army dominates Omdurman, a city just across the Nile River. Despite the violence, there are still rare points where people can cross between these two divided territories. One such place is a market where I met a group of women who had walked for hours from RSF-controlled Dar es Salaam to buy food in Omdurman, where it is more affordable. The men in their families no longer dare to venture out. According to the women, the RSF routinely beats, detains, and extorts men who leave their homes. "We endure this hardship to feed our children. We’re hungry," one woman told me. "Where is the world?" When asked if they felt safer as women, the mood shifted. Silence descended before one voice broke through, full of anger and anguish. "Where is the world? Why don’t you help us?" she cried, tears streaming down her face. She described how women in her community were being violated, but most remained silent out of fear or despair. "Some girls, the RSF makes them lie in the streets at night. If they return late from this market, the RSF keeps them for days." As she spoke, her mother sat beside her, sobbing, while other women joined her in tears. "What can we do? We have nothing. No one cares for us," the woman lamented.

The world's silence The despair expressed by the women I met is echoed by many Sudanese who feel isolated in their suffering. The lack of tangible international intervention has left them questioning why the world remains silent in the face of such horrors. "Where is the world? Why don’t you help us?" one woman cried during our conversation. It’s a question on the minds of countless people as they endure not only the violence of war but also the deafening silence of the international community. The conflict has forced more than 10.5 million people to flee their homes, with many living in overcrowded camps or makeshift shelters without adequate food, water, or medical care. Humanitarian aid workers face immense challenges, with access to conflict zones often restricted and supplies stretched thin. A shattered future As the war in Sudan rages on, the country's future looks increasingly bleak. Entire communities have been uprooted, families torn apart, and children left traumatized by the violence surrounding them. The stories of rape and sexual violence are but one aspect of the widespread human suffering that has gripped the nation. For women like Miriam, Fatima, and the countless others who face the daily threat of violence, survival is a constant battle. Their resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship is both inspiring and heartbreaking.

"The fight for justice" Human rights groups, alongside international organizations like the United Nations, have called for justice for the victims of these crimes. There is growing pressure to hold those responsible for the widespread sexual violence and other war crimes accountable, but in a nation torn apart by war, achieving justice is a daunting challenge. The Sudanese government's denial of the extent of the violence and their claims of taking measures to prevent such abuses ring hollow in the face of the overwhelming evidence. Survivors’ testimonies, like those of the women I met at the market, tell a different story—one of impunity for perpetrators and a lack of protection for the vulnerable. "A cry for help" The women I spoke to, like so many others across Sudan, continue to plead for help. Their voices, filled with pain and desperation, offer a stark reminder of the human toll of war. Their question—“Where is the world?”—demands an answer. The international community must not turn a blind eye to the suffering in Sudan. Humanitarian aid, diplomatic pressure, and sustained efforts to broker peace are desperately needed. Without global action, the horrors of this war will only continue to multiply, leaving more lives shattered in its wake.