A devastating wave of sexual violence, perpetrated by soldiers, is terrorising women and girls across Ethiopia, with children as young as eight among the victims. A major investigation has uncovered thousands of brutal assaults, leaving survivors with profound physical and psychological scars and a life shattered by trauma.
Survivors' Harrowing Ordeals
Enat, a young woman from South Gondar in the Amhara region, described to the BBC how soldiers stormed into her home. They interrogated her about visits from the local militia, known as the Fano Fighters. When she answered truthfully, the soldiers punished her with a violent rape. Her eight-year-old niece was forced to watch the attack. Enat, who was a virgin and had intended to remain so until marriage according to her Orthodox Christian faith, said the ordeal left her wishing for death.
The trauma extends far beyond a single case. Tigist, aged 18 and also from Amhara, was assaulted in January 2024 by a soldier who was a regular at her family's teahouse. He returned hours later with two other soldiers, and the three men gang-raped her on the street before leaving her unconscious on the pavement. Found by her family, she required clinic treatment and was bedridden for five days. Two years on, Tigist is too terrified to leave her house, has called off her engagement, and has attempted suicide.
A Crisis of Staggering Scale
These individual stories point to a widespread and systematically under-reported crisis. Data gathered by the BBC between July 2023 and May 2025 documented 2,697 reports of rape, with a shocking 45 percent of those involving children. The true number is believed to be significantly higher, as fear and stigma prevent countless survivors from coming forward.
Another survivor, 23-year-old Lemlen, did not report her assault or seek medical help after soldiers entered her home last year. Threatened with being shot if she screamed, she was raped. The aftermath left her isolated and gravely ill. "I wept non-stop for a whole month. I couldn't eat. All I did was cry. I couldn't stand to walk," she recounted, highlighting the deep social ostracisation victims often face.
Roots in Conflict and Calls for Justice
The surge in violence is linked to ongoing conflict in the region. The unrest escalated after the Ethiopian government moved to disband regional militias that had fought in the Tigray civil war (2020-2022), a move the Fano militia saw as a betrayal. Both sides in the conflict have been accused of severe human rights abuses, including sexual violence.
Amnesty International has condemned the army's actions and is urging the Ethiopian government to take immediate steps to end violence against women and girls. These calls are supported by a United Nations report from last year, which stated that the Ethiopian National Defence Force had committed acts of sexual violence against women and minors in Amhara, directly linking the abuses to the conflict with Fano.
For confidential support in the UK, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247. For mental health support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123.
