How violence against women and girls, including human trafficking, is used as a weapon of war (2024)

Today, 19 June, marks the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. Below, find out how UNODC works to help provide survivor-centered and gender-sensitive responses to sexual violence as part of its work to prevent and combat human trafficking.

Conflict-related sexual violence has long-lasting harmful effects on victims and is used as a tactic of war, torture, and terrorism. It has devastating physical, sexual, reproductive, and mental health effects and destroys communities' social fabric. Women and girls face brutal forms of sexual violence, and armed groups often control access to medical services.

The recent conflict in Sudan is no exception. A report by the United Nations Secretary-General documented hundreds of cases of conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan, including trafficking for sexual exploitation, sexual slavery, forced marriage and the recruitment of young boys to fight in the hostilities.

These figures are only a fraction of the true extent of the crime in the country, which has been ravaged by a brutal civil war since 2023.

More than 160 women and girls were reported to have been abducted, held in slave-like conditions and raped by armed forces. Many were sold in slave markets, transported in chains in the back of trucks across the country and subjected to forced prostitution. Others were reported to have been abducted, held in slave-like conditions and raped by armed forces. Many were sold in slave markets, transported in chains in the back of trucks across the country and subjected to forced prostitution by armed groups.

Alarmingly, sexual violence like this has also been deliberately and systematically used in many other conflict-ridden areas against civilians such as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Libya, Ukraine and other countries.

Why is sexual violence deliberately used in conflicts?

Conflict-related sexual violence includes rape, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, forced abortion and enforced sterilization.

It is often intended to terrorize, torture, humiliate and repress civilian populations. It is perpetrated to assert control over territory or punish entire ethnic, political, cultural, religious and other groups believed to be supporting the enemy or for whatever perceived wrongdoing.

Depending on the context in which it is committed – especially as part of a widespread or systematic attack against civilians – it may be regarded as a war crime or crime against humanity.

Many of these cases would also qualify as human trafficking.

Why do armed groups traffic women for sexual exploitation?

Amid profound violations of their fundamental human rights, people caught up in conflicts are more exposed than ever to violence and are often deliberately targeted by armed groups and criminals.

Research by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows that conflict increases the vulnerability of people to human trafficking, including sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced marriage as “wives” of the militants, as well as use as child soldiers.

In conflict, armed groups recruit and abduct women and girls for sexual slavery, forced marriage and domestic work.

Large numbers of troops can create demand for labour and sexual services. Combined with weak rule of law and institutions, this leads to increased demand, often in conflict areas.

In August 2014, fighters from another terrorist group, the so-called Islamic State (ISIL/ Da’esh), raided the homes of the Yazidis in northern Iraq's Sinjar region.

This ancient religious minority has lived in that area for centuries and has long suffered discrimination. Thousands were killed.

More than 6,000 Yazidis – mostly women and children – were enslaved. Many were bought and sold on markets and online for sexual exploitation. Trafficking generated large profits for ISIL/Da’esh, which also used it as a way to attract new recruits.

In a similar vein, thousands of women and girls are estimated to have been abducted and sexually exploited by Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram since 2009, when it launched an insurgency in the country.

Who are the perpetrators?

Those who commit sexual violence in conflict environments are often affiliated with state or non-state armed groups.

These can be national military or police forces, terrorist and violent extremist groups, local militias and insurgents.

Human trafficking may not necessarily be carried out by armed groups alone. Wars displace large numbers of people in search of safety and security. Refugees fleeing war and persecution can be an easy target for traffickers – individuals and criminal organizations – within countries that are torn by war but also abroad.

Who are the victims?

Conflict-related sexual violence frequently targets civilian populations and disproportionately affects women and girls.

In a new report, the UN verified over 3,600 cases of sexual violence committed in conflict settings in 2023 globally. 95 per cent of the cases involved women and girls. Children were targeted in 32 per cent of the incidents.

According to UNODC’s Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, most detected victims of trafficking from countries affected by ongoing conflicts are African nationals, and they are mostly detected in Africa and the Middle East.

Sexual violence has serious, sometimes lifelong, consequences, including health problems, unwanted pregnancies, isolation and exclusion from families and communities.

It continues to be underreported due to stigmatization, gender-based inequality and social norms that silence the survivors’ voices.

What is UNODC doing?

UNODC has extensive experience with survivor-centered and gender-sensitive responses to sexual violence as part of its work to prevent and combat human trafficking.

It strives to enhance survivors’ access to justice and provides tools, training and capacity building for criminal justice officials. It also supports reforms in the criminal justice system to ensure that victims' rights are respected, hold perpetrators accountable and combat impunity.

UNODC seeks to build partnerships among governments, civil society and the private sector to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice and that survivors’ needs are met.

UNODC also collects relevant data to improve understanding of the challenges of conflict-related sexual violence and enables more effective policy responses.

Further information

Learn more about UNODC’s work in combatting human trafficking in the context of armed conflict here.