EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mass rape, often perpetrated by members of the Sudanese armed forces and affiliated militias, is endemic in the Darfur region of Sudan. Government officials deny that rape is an integral part of violence in Darfur and assert that Sudan aggressively punishes rape. In fact, rape victims suffer from an almost complete lack of access to justice, and the Government is more likely to take action against those who report and document rape than those who commit it.
The high incidence of sexual violence1 in Darfur has been well documented. The inadequacies of Sudan's laws, regulations, customs and courts for dealing with rape have received less scrutiny. Yet the response to rape cannot be improved until the laws are rewritten.
The goal of this report, which is based on an analysis of Sudanese law and extensive interviews in Khartoum, is to help focus attention on laws and procedures that must be changed. Refugees International continues to call on the U.S. to implement tougher policies against the Government of Sudan, including stricter sanctions, to end the violence and rape in Darfur.