World: Reporting Sexual Violence and Abuse in Conflict - August 2026
Countries: World, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Haiti, India, Sudan Source: Insecurity Insight Please refer to the attached file. This News Brief bears testimony to the brave survivors who speak about sexual violence by state bodies or conflict actors. Most events of violence are never reported. This compilation is neither complete nor representative of the extent or nature of sexual violence in general. It brings together dispersed accounts about survivors from around the world who broke the silence. Since the start of Insecurity Insight’s Reporting Sexual Violence monitoring in January 2020 and July 2026, at least 2,398 publicly reported incidents of conflict-related sexual violence have been recorded. So far in 2026, incidents have increased in Cameroon, from 14 cases in 2025 to 16 between January and April 2026, with high numbers recorded in the South West region. This reflects the continued volatility in the region, where ongoing armed conflict between government forces and Ambazonian separatist groups has contributed to repeated exposure of civilians to insecurity, including reported attacks, abductions, and sexual violence, alongside persistent gaps in civilian protection and limited accountability in contested areas. Download the data (updated every Monday). Contact us for data enquiries. Developments in August 2026 Democratic Republic of the Congo: During August 2026, reports documented sexual violence against women and girls across North Kivu and Kwilu provinces, including rape allegedly committed by FARDC personnel and suspected Wazalendo members. In North Kivu, a 15-year-old girl was repeatedly raped by a FARDC soldier, while a 10-year-old girl was raped by two suspected Wazalendo members. Reports also documented rape during land-related violence in Kwilu, while RDF and AFC/M23 forces were accused of sexual violence and other serious human rights violations in areas under their control. See DRC section below for more details. Data collected by Insecurity Insight shows that since the escalation in conflict in eastern DRC in January 2025 and 31 July 2026, at least 18 publicly reported incidents of conflict-related sexual violence were recorded. Named perpetrators included state and non-state armed groups, including the Convention for the Popular Revolution, FARDC, M23, Rwanda Defence Forces, Union of Patriots for the Liberation of Congo and Wazalendo. More than two-thirds of incidents involved multiple perpetrators and survivors who were women and children. More than two-thirds of incidents involved multiple perpetrators, with women and children among those subjected to sexual violence.
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