Tawila, May 18 (Darfur24)
Volunteers working in community protection networks in North Darfur revealed on Monday that new cases of sexual violence against women and girls fleeing from El Fasher to Tawila have been documented in recent weeks.
A volunteer from one of the protection networks told Darfur24 that rape and other forms of sexual violence continue to affect women and girls escaping the conflict in El Fasher.
The volunteer said that more than 15 confirmed rape cases had been recorded in displacement sites in Tawila, according to medical reports.
Three of the cases involved women who were assaulted while attempting to return to El Fasher, while the remaining cases were linked to incidents that occurred inside displacement sites, he added.
He warned that the actual number of survivors is likely higher, as many families avoid reporting such incidents because of social stigma and fear of shame.
A social worker told Darfur24 that the recently documented cases include a woman living with epilepsy and several minors.
She said that most survivors are located in southern Tawila, particularly in the areas of Al-Umda, Dali, Arqo, and Dabba Nayra Al-Jadeeda, where there is an urgent need for psychological and social support services.
A recent report by a human rights organization working in partnership with UNICEF, reviewed by Darfur24, documented 12 additional rape cases, including cases involving minors.
In an earlier statement to Darfur24, a psychological counselor said the assistance currently available falls far short of the scale of violations and the needs of survivors, stressing that limited humanitarian services and the shortage of support centers are reducing opportunities for recovery.
Tawila, which is controlled by the Sudan Liberation Movement, has become one of the largest displacement destinations in Sudan and is currently sheltering an estimated 665,000 displaced people, most of whom fled the ongoing fighting in El Fasher.