The United Nations (UN) has reported a more than twofold increase in cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2025, according to its annual report released on Friday. UN Special Representative Pramila Patten stated that escalating insecurity, displacement, and dwindling resources for survivors are fueling this crisis.
Addressing reporters at UN Headquarters, Patten described a dramatic surge in sexual violence incidents in 2025, overwhelmingly targeting women and girls. These acts were employed as a tactic of war, torture, terror, and political coercion, often marked by extreme brutality.
The report documented 9,788 verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2025. However, Patten emphasized that this figure does not fully capture the grim reality.
“The figures in this report are not the full picture; they must be understood as an indicator of a much wider pattern of largely unseen and unreported violations,” she stated.
Civilians Bear the Brunt
The report details instances of rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, abduction, and confinement perpetrated by both state and non-state actors across 21 conflict-affected countries. While women and girls remain the primary targets, men and boys also frequently experienced sexual violence in detention settings and as a form of torture. LGBTQI+ individuals also faced an increased risk of targeted persecution and harassment.
Victim ages ranged from 1 to 70, with cases involving persons with disabilities also recorded. Patten noted that the violence was often accompanied by extreme physical abuse, including post-rape killings and suicides among survivors.
“At the heart of this report lies the human suffering of all these victims and communities living in the shadow of war,” she added.
Armed Groups and Access Challenges
The report indicates that non-state armed groups, including organized crime syndicates, continue to weaponize sexual violence to assert control over communities and territories, particularly in resource-rich areas. Displaced and refugee women and girls faced heightened risks, especially in remote and border regions where support networks have collapsed. The widespread availability of small arms also continues to fuel sexual violence in multiple conflicts.
Simultaneously, humanitarian access restrictions, insecurity, and funding shortfalls hinder the documentation of violations and the provision of aid to victims.
Perpetrators Named
An annex to the report lists 77 parties held responsible for patterns of conflict-related sexual violence, including 62 non-state actors. Newly added entities include the Wazalendo armed elements, the National Liberation Forces, and the Mai-Mai armed group of the Congolese Patriotic Union for Liberation operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Russian armed and security forces and Israeli armed and security forces were also added to the new list, following findings of ongoing patterns of sexual violence documented by the UN.
These two parties were reportedly warned of potential listing for the previous year’s reporting period.
Call to Action
The report urges the Security Council and Member States to strengthen prevention, accountability, and support for victims. Recommendations include ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access, expanding monitoring and sanctions mechanisms, supporting women protection advisors in UN missions, bolstering investigations and prosecutions, and increasing funding for medical, psychosocial, and legal services.
Patten called for the focus to remain on the victims. “These violations are neither isolated nor confined to a few contexts,” she said. “They are global in scale, devastating in their impact, and require a response focused on the rights, needs, and dignity of victims and survivors, not on political showmanship, selective outrage, or preconceived narratives.”
