Sexual violence surges 700pc in eastern DRC as armed conflict intensifies – ActionAid
ActionAid says the dismantling of these camps by armed groups has increased the risks faced by women and girls, who are often sent back to dangerous areas controlled by militias, where they face further violence, rape, and forced marriage.
A shocking surge in sexual violence is devastating communities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) amid escalating armed conflict.
Between February and March 2025, reports of attacks on women and girls have skyrocketed by nearly 700 per cent, with survivors facing daily terror, fear and trauma.
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Overcrowded camps have become unsafe places, where many women are forced back into dangerous zones controlled by armed groups, making them vulnerable to rape, violence, and forced marriage.
According to data collected by ActionAid teams, 381 cases of sexual violence were recorded in March and April alone, more than five times the number reported in January and February.
The figure amounts to half the total number of cases recorded throughout the entire year of 2024, suggesting the situation is rapidly deteriorating.
Saani Yakuba, Country Director for ActionAid DRC, stated that the numbers are horrifying, but they barely scratch the surface of what’s really happening.
“Many women and girls are too afraid or traumatised to report what has happened to them. And ActionAid is just one of many organisations documenting these cases. When you look at the full picture, the scale of the violence against women and girls is even more staggering,” he said.
“The spike in cases over the past few months is clear evidence that this horrific sexual violence is being used as a deliberate weapon of war,” Yakuba added.
Forced marriages
Reports of forced and early marriage have also spiked.
In the first four months of 2025, ActionAid recorded 58 such cases, already accounting for 86 per cent of the 67 cases reported during the whole of 2024.
“Rape and sexual violence are daily terrors faced by women and girls here. Many survivors are afraid to report their assaults, fearing stigma. Our teams encounter countless cases where victims remain silent, unwilling to report,” said a member of ActionAid’s protection team in North Kivu.
Over 2.7 million people are currently displaced in North Kivu, many of them forced to live in overcrowded camps around Goma.
ActionAid says the dismantling of these camps by armed groups has increased the risks faced by women and girls, who are often sent back to dangerous areas controlled by militias, where they face further violence, rape, and forced marriage.
“Women and girls have suffered as collateral damage in this conflict for far too long. Despite two temporary ceasefire agreements, fighting is ongoing. The international community must act urgently to secure a permanent ceasefire and ensure the withdrawal of armed groups from populated areas such as Kashebere and Goma to protect civilians,” Yakuba said.
ActionAid continues to support survivors of sexual violence in the region by providing mental health services, shelter, and financial aid through its emergency response programmes.
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