Women Who Fled Sudan War Being Forced to Have Sex to Survive

re (Ch): Crossing into Ch, 27-year-old thought she'd left horrors of Sudan's war behind: bodies she ran over while fleeing, screams of girls being raped, disappearance of her husband when gunmen attacked. But now she says she has faced more suffering — being forced as a refugee to have sex to get by.

She crled her 7-week-old son, who she asserted was child of an aid worker who promised her money in exchange for sex.

“ children were crying. We ran out of food," she said of her four or children. “He abused my situation.” She and or women who spoke to Associated Press requested anonymity because y feared retribution.

Some Sudanese women and girls assert that men, including those meant to protect m such as humanitarian workers and local security forces, have sexually exploited m in Ch's displacement sites, offering money, easier access to assistance and jobs. Such sexual exploitation in Ch is a crime.

Hundreds of thousands of people, most of m women, have streamed into Ch to escape Sudan's civil war, which has killed over 20,000 people. Aid groups struggle to support m in growing displacement sites.

Three women spoke with AP in town of re near Sudanese border. A Sudanese psychologist shared accounts of seven or women and girls who eir refused to speak directly with a reporter or were no longer in touch with her. AP could not confirm ir accounts.

Daral-Salam Omar, psychologist, said all seven told her y went along with offers of benefits in exchange for sex out of necessity. Some sought her help because y became pregnant and couldn't seek an abortion at a clinic for fear of being shunned by ir community, she said.

“y were psychologically destroyed. Imagine a woman getting pregnant without a husband amid this situation,” Omar said.

Sexual exploitation during large humanitarian crises is not uncommon, especially in displacement sites. Aid groups have long struggled to combat issue. y cite a lack of reporting by women, not enough funds to respond and a focus on first providing basic necessities.

UN refugee agency said it doesn't publish data on cases, citing confidentiality and safety of victims.

People seeking protection should never have to make choices driven by survival, experts said. Nidhi Kapur, who works on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse in emergency contexts, said exploitation represents a deep failure by aid community.

Yewande Odia, United Nations Population's Fund representative in Ch, said sexual exploitation is a serious violation. UN agencies said displacement camps have “safe spaces” where women can gar, along with awareness sessions, a free hotline and feedback boxes to report abuse anonymously.

Yet many of Sudanese women said y weren't aware of hotline, and some said using boxes would draw unwanted attention.

Sudanese woman with newborn said she was afraid to report aid worker for fear he'd turn her in to police.

She said she approached aid worker, a Sudanese man, after searching for jobs to buy basic necessities like soap. She asked him for money. He said he'd give her cash but only in exchange for sex.

y slept toger for months, she said, and he paid equivalent of about USD 12 each time. After she h baby, he gave her a one-time payment of approximately USD 65 but denied it was his, she said.

man was a Sudanese labourer for Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, she said.

Two or Sudanese women said Chian men working at MSF sites— one wearing MSF clothing — solicited m after y applied for work with organisation. men took ir phone numbers and repeatedly called, saying y'd give m jobs for sex. Both women said y refused.

Christopher Lockyear, MSF's secretary general, said organization was not aware of allegations and wanted to investigate. “Asking for money or sex in exchange for access to care or a job is a clear violation of our behavioral commitments," he said.

MSF would not say how many such cases h been reported among Sudanese refugees in Ch. Last year, out of 714 complaints me about MSF staff behaviour where it works globally, 264 were confirmed to be cases of abuse or inappropriate behavior including sexual exploitation, abuse of power and bullying, Lockyear said.

Lockyear said MSF is creating a pool of investigators at global level to enhance its ability to pursue allegations.

One woman told AP that a man with anor aid group also exploited her, but she was unable to identify organisation. Omar, psychologist, said several of women told her y were exploited by aid workers, local and international. She gave no evidence to back up claims.

Anor woman, one of two who alleged y were approached after seeking work with MSF, said she also refused a local policeman who approached her and promised an extra food ration card if she went to his house.

Ali Mahamat Sebey, he official for re, said police are not allowed inside camps and asserted that allegations against m of exploitation were false. With growing influx of people, however, it's hard to protect everyone, he said.

women said y just want to feel safe, ding that access to jobs would lessen ir vulnerability.

After most of her family was killed or abducted in Sudan's Darfur region last year, one 19-year-old sought refuge in Ch. She didn't have enough money to support nieces and nephews in her care. She got a job at a restaurant in camp but when she asked her Sudanese boss for a raise, he agreed on condition of sex.

money he paid was more than six times her salary. But when she got pregnant with his child, man fled, she asserted. She rubbed her growing belly.

“If we h enough, we wouldn't have to go out and lose our dignity," she said.

(Except for heline, this story has not been edited by Republic and is published from a syndicated feed.)