The United Nations verified 9,788 cases of conflict-related sexual violence across 21 countries in 2025.

Pramila Patten says the documented cases represent only a fraction of the actual abuses occurring in conflict zones.

The report found that both State and non-State actors were responsible for rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, trafficking, and abductions.

Children as young as one year old and adults up to 70 years old were identified among documented victims.

The United Nations verified 9,788 cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2025, according to its latest annual report, a figure that UN officials say reflects only a portion of the actual abuses occurring in war zones and politically unstable regions.

The findings were presented at United Nations Headquarters by Pramila Patten, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict. The report, released through the United Nations system on Friday, documented cases across 21 conflict-affected countries and territories.

Patten described the increase as evidence of a growing use of rape and other forms of sexual violence as tools of war, political repression, terrorism, and torture. According to the report, the documented incidents were characterized by extreme brutality and disproportionately affected women and girls.

"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 during the report's release.

The UN report's most important warning is not simply the number of verified cases. It is the acknowledgement that verified incidents represent only those that investigators were able to document under difficult and often dangerous conditions.

Conflict-related sexual violence remains one of the most underreported categories of human rights abuse globally. Survivors frequently face stigma, fear retaliation from perpetrators, lack access to reporting mechanisms, or live in areas where institutions capable of documenting violations have collapsed.

The report states that rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, trafficking, and abductions were documented during the reporting period. According to the findings, responsibility extended across both State and non-State actors operating within conflict environments.

The UN's verification standards require corroboration before incidents are formally included in annual reporting. As a result, the 9,788 cases represent incidents supported by evidence meeting the organization's reporting threshold.

The actual total remains unknown.

Armed Groups and Criminal Networks Feature Prominently

A significant portion of the report focuses on the role of armed groups operating in fragile regions.

According to the UN findings, non-State armed actors continue to use sexual violence to exert control over populations and territories. The report specifically links these abuses to contested areas, resource-rich zones, and regions where government authority remains weak or absent.

Across multiple conflict zones, international investigators have repeatedly documented the use of sexual violence as a mechanism of intimidation. Such acts can force displacement, discourage resistance, punish perceived opponents, and destabilize communities without requiring sustained military occupation.

Instead, the documented cases are presented as part of broader conflict dynamics in which civilians become direct targets. Patten stated that sexual violence is increasingly intertwined with warfare, terrorism, and political repression.

Women and Girls Remain Primary Targets

The report confirms that women and girls remain the primary victims of conflict-related sexual violence.

According to the UN findings, many documented cases involved acts committed against female civilians living in areas affected by armed conflict. The report also highlights the heightened vulnerability of displaced populations, particularly those living in remote border regions where security protections are weak.

Displacement often removes access to community support structures, law enforcement institutions, healthcare systems, and humanitarian services. In such environments, survivors may face significant obstacles to reporting crimes or obtaining medical and psychological assistance.

The UN identifies insecurity itself as a contributing factor.

The report links increased vulnerability to ongoing armed conflict, forced migration, weakened governance structures, and deteriorating protection systems. Those conditions create environments where perpetrators can operate with reduced risk of accountability.

Men, Boys, and LGBTQI+ Persons Also Appear in the Data

While women and girls account for most documented cases, the report also records incidents involving men and boys.

According to the findings, many of those cases occurred in detention settings and were allegedly used as methods of torture or coercion. The report also notes heightened risks facing LGBTQI+ individuals in conflict environments.

Human rights organizations have long argued that sexual violence against male victims remains substantially underreported because of stigma, cultural barriers, and fear of social exclusion. The UN report suggests those challenges remain significant across multiple conflict settings.

The inclusion of these cases broadens the picture presented by the data.

Rather than depicting conflict-related sexual violence as affecting a single demographic group, the report portrays a wider spectrum of victims exposed to different forms of abuse depending on their circumstances and location.

The Age Range Illustrates the Scale of Vulnerability

Among the most troubling findings is the age range of documented victims.

According to the report, verified cases involved children as young as one year old and adults as old as 70. The findings also include persons living with disabilities.

The age distribution demonstrates that vulnerability is not limited to combatants, political actors, or specific population groups. The report instead documents violence affecting individuals across generations.

We reviewed the figures cited in the UN report and found three separate indicators illustrating the breadth of victimization: documented survivors ranged from age one to age 70, cases were verified across 21 countries, and the total reached 9,788 incidents during a single reporting year.

Accountability Remains Uneven

The report raises questions about enforcement and accountability mechanisms in conflict zones.

International law prohibits rape, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy, forced marriage, and related abuses during armed conflict. Yet successful prosecutions remain difficult in many affected regions because of ongoing insecurity, weak judicial systems, and limited investigative capacity.

The UN report does not claim that accountability efforts have kept pace with the violations being documented.

Instead, it emphasizes the continuing need for survivor support, documentation efforts, and legal action against perpetrators where evidence exists and courts possess jurisdiction.

Does the UN believe 9,788 is the real number of victims?

No. The UN explicitly states that 9,788 represents verified cases only. Officials say the actual number is likely higher because many incidents go unreported or cannot be verified.

Who committed these abuses according to the report?

The report attributes cases to both State and non-State actors. It specifically mentions armed groups, criminal networks, and parties involved in conflict settings.

Were only women affected?

No. Women and girls were the primary victims, but the report also documented cases involving men, boys, LGBTQI+ persons, and individuals with disabilities.

The next unresolved question is whether the evidence collected in these 9,788 verified cases will translate into prosecutions before national courts or international tribunals. The report identifies thousands of documented violations, but it does not specify how many alleged perpetrators have been charged, convicted, or remain under investigation. Until those figures emerge, the central issue remains unresolved: whether survivors' rights to justice and accountability will be enforced beyond the publication of another annual report.