Mass Rapes of South Sudan

Over a ten day period this past November, it was recounted that over 125 South Sudanese women and girls experienced harsh sexual violence while seeking aid.  According to medical charity group Doctors Without Borders (MSF), attackers raped, beat, and robbed these women. This includes women older than 65, girls younger than 10, and even pregnant women.  It was reported that the attackers were young men who were dressed in civilian and military clothing. When asked for information on the attacks, the state minister of South Sudan, Lam Tungwar, stated: "A rape of such a magnitude is not true, we are a state (that) respects human rights and women's rights top our list."  However, Ruth Okello, a MSF midwife, claims she has never seen such an increase of sexual assault victims coming to their programs in search of medical care.  According to MSF, from November 19th to the 29th, there were over 125 women in need of emergency care or other kinds of assistance due to sexual violence. In comparison to the 104 sexual and gender-based violence survivors MSF came into contact with the first ten months of the year, the numbers have increased exponentially.  The number of assaults seem to be growing due to more and more people venturing to Rubkona county in need of aid. Many women are walking in large groups to deter attackers, but are still facing aggressive attacks from large groups of men. These men are reported to not only rape and beat these women, but also destroy ration cards that are necessary for food aid.  

This aid comes due to the civil unrest that has rampaged throughout South Sudan since 2013.  The conflict started as a feud between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and to then Vice President, Riek Machar, but later escalated into a fight between multiple factions.  This conflict has resulted in a serious humanitarian crisis. On either side of the fighting there has been documentation of possible war crimes, including mass rapes. In September of this year, South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir signed a peace treaty with rebel leaders, but it is unclear how that will be upheld.  In response to the brutal attacks of the women however, the United Nations group in the area has increased patrol and is pushing for authorities to charge the attackers. Also, the head of the region's UN peacekeeping mission, David Shearer, has called for the end of violence against women as part of a global campaign.