Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The United Nations reported a more than twofold increase in cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2025, verifying 9,788 instances across 21 conflict-affected countries. The data highlights a widespread, underreported pattern of sexual violence used as a tactic of war, torture, terrorism, and political repression, primarily targeting women and girls, according to UN Special Representative Pramila Patten.
The report details violations including rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, trafficking, and abductions committed by both State and non-State actors. Men, boys, and LGBTQI+ individuals were also subjected to sexual violence, particularly in detention and torture contexts. Victims ranged from one to 70 years old, including persons with disabilities. The report also notes extreme physical abuse, killings following rape, and instances of suicide among survivors.
Non-State armed groups, including organized criminal groups, continue to use sexual violence to control communities and territories rich in natural resources. Displaced and refugee women and girls, especially in remote and border regions with collapsed support systems, face heightened risks. The widespread availability of small arms was identified as a factor fueling sexual violence in multiple conflicts.
The report states that humanitarian access restrictions, ongoing insecurity, and funding shortfalls have made it more difficult to document abuses and provide assistance to survivors. An annex lists 77 parties responsible for patterns of sexual violence, including 62 non-State actors, with three additional groups identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.