KHERSON REGION — The United Nations verified approximately 9,300 cases of conflict-related sexual violence globally in 2025. This information was released in observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, which is marked annually on June 19.

The UN presented survivor stories from several countries, including Ukraine. Kateryna, a survivor of sexual violence, lived under occupation in Ukraine's Kherson Region. In 2022, Russian soldiers entered her property, looted her business, and threatened her family. Kateryna was raped by a soldier. She stated, "I thought if they killed me, our son would lose both parents, so I stopped resisting and he raped me."

Another survivor, Noor, was detained in Syria in late 2023 while traveling for medical treatment. She was held for one year, during which she was repeatedly beaten and raped. Noor became pregnant several times and suffered miscarriages due to the abuse. She said, "The abuse was relentless." She added, "I thought about my daughters all the time." After her release, some members of Noor's family rejected her.

In Sudan, a woman was assaulted near the city of El Fasher, which the anti-Government RSF militia captured in October following an 18-month siege. Her attackers robbed and beat her. The United Nations described conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan as rampant and relentless. Documented cases in Sudan include rape, abduction, forced marriage, and sexual slavery, with victims as young as one year old.

A woman residing in the Kasaï region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was raped by two armed men ten years ago in the presence of her husband. Her husband subsequently abandoned her and their children. In the verified cases, 95 percent of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence were women and girls. These survivors received support from local organizations that were funded by the UN. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, "Comprehensive support for survivors is crucial to rebuild lives and families."