More than 1,300 rape incidents have been reported in Tigray since the war began in November of last year. However, many argue that more cases went unreported due to societal stigma surrounding the topic.
During the conflict, many cases of gender-based violence, including gang rape and other atrocities, were reported.
The destruction and theft of health-care institutions in Tigray, Amhara, and Afar areas exacerbated the wounded, preventing total post-hospitalization care.
According to the report of UN, during crises and conflicts, violence against women increases, and by 2021, one out of every three women will have been assaulted at some point in their lives.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) published a joint investigation into alleged international human rights breaches in the ongoing war in Tigray last November.
According to the report, all fighting groups, including Ethiopian and Eritrean forces, were implicated in crimes classified as gender-based violence, with young and older women experiencing gang rape.
According to a report by Amnesty International, in the news, in Amhara regional state, Nefas Mewecha, between August 12 to 21, 70 women reported were raped by militants. They submitted a report to regional authorities.
A spoke person to Siyane Aniley, a PhD contender at the institution for Comparative education study by Abebe University, studies that the women who were raped by army forces suffered physically and mentally and emotionally physiological, economical.
She argued that despite the lack of research of content, some patterns show that women will always be primary victims of abusing someone or sexually harassment by militants.” These acts are also used as a weapon of war.”
Despite the scarcity of study, she stated that trends demonstrate that women remain the primary victims of sexual violence in times of active war, such as Ethiopia, and can be perpetrated by both the government army and rebel groups.
“These acts are also utilized as a weapon of war,” she added