United Nations has warned that conflict-related sexual violence surged globally in 2025, with nearly 10,000 verified cases recorded across 21 conflict-affected countries.
The disclosure was made at the UN Headquarters by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, during the presentation of the organisation’s annual report.
Patten said the world had witnessed a significant increase in the use of rape and other forms of sexual violence as weapons of war, terrorism, torture and political repression.
“In 2025 documented cases of sexual violence as a tactic of war, torture, terrorism and political repression marked by extreme brutality and overwhelmingly targeting women and girls increased dramatically,” she said.
According to the report titled “Conflict-related sexual violence cases more than doubled in 2025, UN warns,” a total of 9,788 cases were verified during the period under review.
The UN, however, cautioned that the figure represents only documented incidents and may not reflect the full scale of abuse globally.
“The figures contained in this report should be understood not as the full picture, but as an indication of a much broader pattern of violations that remain largely unseen and underreported,” Patten said.
The report documented cases including rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, trafficking and abductions allegedly committed by both state and non-state actors.
It noted that while women and girls remain the primary victims, men and boys were also affected, particularly in detention facilities where sexual violence was reportedly used as a form of torture.
The UN further highlighted increased risks faced by LGBTQI+ persons in conflict zones, adding that victims ranged from children as young as one year old to adults aged 70, including persons living with disabilities.
According to the report, displacement, insecurity and weakened protection systems have increased vulnerability, especially among women and girls in remote and border communities.
The organisation also warned that restricted humanitarian access and funding shortages are limiting efforts to document abuses and provide support to survivors.
The UN called on governments and the Security Council to strengthen prevention mechanisms, enhance accountability and expand survivor-centred support services.
Among its recommendations are improved monitoring and sanctions frameworks, increased funding for medical, psychosocial and legal assistance, stronger investigations and prosecutions, and expanded deployment of women’s protection advisers in UN missions.
Patten urged global leaders to prioritise victims’ rights and dignity in addressing the crisis.
“These violations are neither isolated nor confined to a handful of contexts. They are global in scale, devastating in impact and demand a response centred on the rights, needs and dignity of victims and survivors,” she said.
