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Don't Excuse Abuse

Sexual violence

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Sexual violence affects millions of people, brutally shattering the lives of women, men and children. It is a medical emergency, but there is often a dire lack of healthcare services for victims.

No statistics on sexual violence provide a complete picture of the problem or its prevalence. Shame, fear, stigmatisation and many other obstacles prevent an unknown number of victims from receiving, or even seeking, treatment. And yet getting immediate medical care after sexual assault is critical in order to limit the potential consequences. In 2022, our teams treated over  39,900 victims of sexual violence; 3,100 more than the year before.

Quick facts about sexual violence

 
Medical consequences of the violence in Port-au-Prince
Haiti

Scaling up medical activities amid chaos in Port-au-Prince

Press Release 6 Mar 2024
 
Violence continues displacing and traumatising thousands in Cabo Delgado
Mozambique

Violence continues to displace and traumatise thousands in Cabo Delgado

Project Update 4 Mar 2024
 
Aerial view of the Bulengo IDP site
Democratic Republic of Congo

Massive needs everywhere as displacement reaches unprecedented levels in DRC

Project Update 20 Dec 2023
 
Doctors Without Borders alarms insufficient response to the rising migrant influx in Darien jungle
Panama

Incidents of sexual violence spike for those crossing Panama’s Darién Gap

Press Release 17 Nov 2023
 
Dr Yasoda Kurra, MSF doctor, examining a patient at the Umeed Ki Kiran Clinic, Jahangirpuri, Delhi
India

MSF to close sexual violence treatment centre in Delhi

Project Update 16 Nov 2023
 
République Centrafricaine / Central African Republic
Central African Republic

Invisible Wounds: MSF findings on sexual violence in CAR between 2018 and 2022

Report 24 Oct 2023
 
Sexual violence. Bangui, CAR
Central African Republic

Sexual violence in Central African Republic is a “public health emergency”

Press Release 24 Oct 2023
 
Aerial view of the Bulengo IDP site
Democratic Republic of Congo

Alarming numbers of sexual violence victims in camps around Goma

Press Release 9 May 2023
 
Excluded women: the severe limitations of access to sexual and reproductive health
Honduras

Addressing the dangerous gap in sexual and reproductive healthcare in Honduras

Interview 2 Sep 2022
Advanced HIV management in Homa Bay
Medical Resource

MSF Field Research

We produce important research based on our field experience. So far, we have published articles in over 100 peer-reviewed journals. These articles have often changed clinical practice and have been used for humanitarian advocacy. All of these articles can be found on our dedicated Field Research website.

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