WARNING: Graphic Images
“‘Neighbourhoods and homes were continuously attacked, looted, burned and destroyed,’ especially those where Masalit and other African communities lived, and their people were harassed, assaulted, sexually abused, and at times, executed [1A].”
The United Nations confirms that rape is being used as a weapon against women and girls in the Sudanese civil war [1B][2A].
NGOs describe rape as an everyday occurrence, with both warring parties participating, and numbers estimated as high as 4,400 during this latest conflict [2B]. But civil war has been ongoing in Sudan (in three stages) since 1955, and rape has been employed from the outset [3].
“…systemic rape in homes, detention facilities, public checkpoints, and interrogation centres…committed mainly by members of the police force, intelligence officers, interrogators and prison guards…[including] forced nudity, [punitive] virginity test, and sexual torture [4A].”
This tactic is not new. We have seen it used in Iraq; Rwanda; Syria, Egypt, Libya, and elsewhere in the Middle East during the Arab Spring; in India; and most recently against Israel [4B][5][6][7A][8][9]. In Rwanda, between 100,000 and 250,000 women were raped during the three months of genocide.
Connection to Domestic Violence
The use of rape as a weapon of war is not unrelated to gender violence in the domestic context, most especially the cultural acceptance of such violence against women and girls [10][11A].
Rape reinforces a power differential between men and women — in many countries with complicity (if not outright participation) by law enforcement, even in the absence of civil strife [11B][12A]. Witness the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in custody for alleged violation of Iran’s laws on mandatory hijab [12B].
One way or another, women are very firmly put in their place.
Social and Political Protests
“Only in democratic States that guarantee the rights and freedoms of all citizens will women be recognized as equal persons under the law [7B]”.
–Tawakkol Karman, “Mother of the Revolution” in Yemen, 2011 Nobel Prize Winner
There have been social and political protests in response to this degrading treatment of women. The Ni Una Menos (Not One Less) campaign in Latin America is one such. Most, however, have met with limited success.
Little can be done among men who believe that women are morally inferior and inherently unequal.
Biblical View of the Sexes
“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel” (Gen. 3: 15).
That belief is, of course, directly contrary to biblical teaching. The Bible explains that God created men and women as equals, bearing His image (Gen. 1: 27). Eve was specifically created as a helpmate or partner to Adam — not his servant or slave (Gen. 2: 18) [13].
Countless good men treat women with dignity and respect. That should not be overlooked.
However, men throughout history have claimed the right to subjugate women, and husbands to treat their wives as subservient. This dysfunction is a tragic consequence of the Fall (Gen. 3: 16). It was never God’s intention.
Indeed, from the very beginning He promised the world a Redeemer in the Person of Jesus Christ.
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[1 A and 1B] Al Jazeera, “UN official warns of possible war crimes, rape as a weapon in Sudan”, 3/1/24, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/1/un-official-warns-of-possible-war-crimes-rape-as-a-weapon-in-sudan.
[2A and 2B] Wikipedia, “War in Sudan (2023 – present)”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Sudan_(2023%E2%80%93present).
[3] Wikipedia, “Sudanese Civil War”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudanese_Civil_War.
[4A and 4B] Human Rights Pulse, “Arab-Spring’s Unparalleled Gender-Based Crimes: A People’s Court to Bring Perpetrators to Justice”, 1/11/23, Hilmi Zawati, https://www.humanrightspulse.com/mastercontentblog/arab-springs-unparalleled-gender-based-crimes-a-peoples-court-to-bring-perpetrators-to-justice.
[5] Wikipedia, “Sexual violence in Iraqi insurgency”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_violence_in_the_Iraqi_insurgency.
[6] United Nations, Outreach Program on the Rwanda Genocide, “Sexual Violence: a Tool of War”, March 2014, https://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/assets/pdf/Backgrounder%20Sexual%20Violence%202014.pdf.
[7A and 7B] United Nations, UN Chronicle, No. 4, Vol. LIII, “Women and the Arab Spring” by Tawakkol Karman, December 2016, https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/women-and-arab-spring.
[8] Reuters, “India’s low-caste women raped to ‘keep them in their place'” by Anuradha Nagaraj, 11/4/20, https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN28509I/.
[9] American Jewish Committee (AJC), “Hamas’ Most Horrific Weapon of War: 5 Takeaways from UN Report on Sexual Violence Against Israelis”, 3/8/24, https://www.ajc.org/news/hamas-most-horrific-weapon-of-war-5-takeaways-from-un-report-on-sexual-violence-against.
[10] Wikipedia, “Ni una menos”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ni_una_menos.
[11A and 11B] Bloomberg, “How a Feminist Uprising Reshaped Mexico City” by Lorena Rios, 3/8/22, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-03-08/the-legacy-of-mexico-city-s-feminist-protest-movement.
[12A and 12B] United Nations Human Rights Council, “Iran: Institutional discrimination against women and girls enabled human rights violations and crimes against humanity in the context of recent protests, UN Fact-Finding Mission says”, 3/8/24, https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/03/iran-institutional-discrimination-against-women-and-girls-enabled-human.
[13] Go San Angelo, “Looking Up: Eve created as suitable helper, not subordinate” by Assoc. Pastor Kyle Hooks, 8/5/16, https://www.gosanangelo.com/story/life/columnists/kyle-hooks/2016/08/05/looking-up-eve-created-as-suitable-helper-not-subordinate/92162242/.
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ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse 
Vielen liebe Dank für Deine mühsamen Recherchen, die die “Wunden der Gesellschaft” aufdecken. Man kann nur wünschen, dass durch diese Offenlegung die entscheidenden Menschen etwas tun, um dagegen vorzugehen. LG M.
Ich kann nur hoffen, die Einstellung nach und nach zu ändern. Den Rest überlasse ich Gott, Marie. LG, A.
Rape is one of the worst forms of brutality and I am saddened reading this, it is happening way too much!
It is a tragedy that men and women cannot live together in peace.
No, it was never God’s intention that women should be subservient or treated as slaves.
Regardless of legislation, I do not believe we will see this situation remedied until the Lord’s return.
Such inhuman behavior from human beings makes me shudder.
It is beyond distressing that women seem to make so little progress.
It’s not only about women, dear friend. Soldiers of some invading armies I don’t want to name have been documented to rape little boys and girls.
What a world we live in, Dolly. It breaks my heart.
Mine as well, dear Anna.
No one can deny that men have a monstrous horrible nature as part of who they are but this becomes even more dreadful in war and suppression of other peoples . These acts of evil have been going on for thousands of years of human history but one would suppose we are somewhat more civilized in these our contemporary time.
Tragically, the “sin nature” of mankind has not changed. We need no more clear illustration of that fact.
This post was hard to read and makes me so sad and angry at the same time. The very act of love that God created to be use as a tool to bring pain to women is heartbreaking. I have never been raped but I have friends who have. I use to wonder why does war bring out that kind of lust. Is it fear, or the drama of war that causes a mans to want to rape. Is it the face that are not in control of so much that makes them want to control something and do they really get any kind of pleasure out of the horrible act. Thank you for bringing this to the forefront since it is an ongoing act of evil. Satan is a raper.
I am sorry to have distressed you, Betty. My heart goes out to those of your friends who have been victimized. This can be such a hard world. We search for answers where often there are none. But somehow God sustains us in the face of evil. May He grant your friends peace. ❤
Thank you for this reminder that we need to pray daily for our brothers and sisters and all those who suffer in such a way in the name of war and domination. Oh for that day when “swords will be beaten into plowshares”!
As individuals, we can feel helpless when confronted by such evil. But God will render justice in the end. Meanwhile, He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Ps. 147: 3).
Amen. Praise God! Keeping the “big picture” in mind helps us to do what we can to help and pray with hope and certainty.