Conflict zones are places of immense hardship - with people facing displacement, broken healthcare systems, and separation from families and communities. But when sexual violence is added to the equation, the challenges for survivors become even greater. Conflict-related sexual violence is not only deeply traumatising, it is also used as a tool of control, instilling fear, silencing communities, and shattering any remaining sense of safety. It is chilling in its intent and impact, stripping people of dignity and can leave scars that endure long after the fighting stops. Survivors deserve support that is immediate, sustained, and rooted in care, alongside concrete action to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent further harm.

In this episode of the SVRI podcast we explore the critical and often overlooked issue of conflict-related sexual violence. We’re joined by Chen Reis, Clinical Associate Professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, and Abraraw Tadesse, medical doctor and Regional Project Coordinator at Amref Health Africa, Ethiopia. Together they discuss what conflict-related sexual violence really means, how it differs from other forms of gender-based violence, and why centering survivors is essential to prevention and response.

Your host is: Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, Sexual Violence Research Initative (SVRI).

🎧 Listen to learn:

➡︎ What conflict-related sexual violence (CRV) is and who’s most affected.

➡︎ How the nature of CRV is evolving in modern conflict settings.

➡︎ What needs to be done to reduce intimate partner violence during times of conflict.

➡︎ Why survivor-centered approaches must be at the heart of GBV programming in humanitarian contexts.

📱Connect with Chen Reis and Abraraw Tadesse.

⚡Follow SVRI on Instagram.

🌐Check out the SVRI website.

🎥 Watch our film on YouTube.

💬 Connect with the SVRI svri@svri.org and our host, Ayesha Mago.

🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.