South Sudan: Conflict Increases Sexual Violence Against Women
Women and girls are vulnerable to increased sexual violence from both government and opposition forces in South Sudan due to minimal police presence and continued armed conflict. Amnesty International (AI) recently reported, “The current militarized environment, where armed men are ubiquitous and civilian law enforcement is virtually absent, places women and girls at a heightened risk of sexual violence.” Testimonial accounts documented by AI indicate that women and girls are most vulnerable during the time immediately following an attack in conflict zones. Women displaced by the conflict are also reportedly abused, raped and harassed near refugee camps and shelters at UN bases.
Compiled from: Sexual Violence Soars in South Sudan, IRIN (May 13, 2014).
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