Sexual violence in conflict: Victims and survivors need more than words

Yet even as needs double in some contexts, coordinated, survivor-centered responses remain grossly inadequate. Victims and survivors face immense challenges in accessing the care they need - barriers that include social stigma, fear of retaliation, and the simple fact that local services are too often underfunded, overstretched, or out of reach.

In conflict-affected settings, these barriers are compounded by insecurity, displacement, the loss of community support networks, and the collapse of critical infrastructure, including healthcare. Between 2021 and 2024, the number of people requiring services for sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in conflict or fragile contexts more than doubled - from 3.5 million to 7.2 million. Yet, less than 0.2% of humanitarian funding in 2024 was allocated to address these needs.

This gap in care is not just a funding issue - it is a crisis of prioritization. Victims and survivors of sexual violence need medical and psychosocial support, legal assistance, protection, and to be believed and respected. The consequences of not responding appropriately are long-lasting and devastating, not only for victims and survivors themselves but for the social fabric of entire communities.

While support and funding for local services must increase, communities also have a role to play.