“No One Came to My Rescue”: Gang Rape, Sexual Slavery, and Mass Displacement of Women in Oromia, Ethiopia

As the armed conflict continues to rage in the Oromia region of Ethiopia, women and girls have been subjected to rape and other forms of sexual violence since the beginning of the conflict in 2019.

For this briefing, Amnesty International interviewed 10 survivors of gang rape, seven of whom were under the age of 18 at the time of the assaults. Three of the survivors were 17 years old at the time of the interview. Survivors described harrowing details of enduring brutal violations that lasted days and sometimes weeks. Their accounts are a testament to their courage and strength as survivors, as well as to their pursuit of justice.

In this research, Amnesty International investigated violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in the Sayo and Anfillo districts (woredas) of the Kellem Wallaga zone amid the ongoing conflict. These are among the areas where the conflict began and are strongholds of the OLA.

Amnesty International investigated 10 cases of sexual violence, five of which involved survivors who were subjected to both sexual slavery and gang rape. Nine survived sexual violence by OLA fighters, while one endured sexual violence by both an Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) soldier and OLA fighters. Two of the survivors became pregnant as a result of the sexual violence they were subjected to by OLA fighters. One of whom was pregnant at the time of the interview. Five of the survivors said they were targeted because their male relatives are members of the government militia.

As part of this investigation, Amnesty International concluded that all 10 survivors have endured, some for more than five years, sexual and reproductive health issues as a direct result of the violence.

The organization also documented that all 10 survivors have lost their livelihoods and been pushed into poverty as a direct result of the violence by the OLA fighters, as they were forced to flee their homes.

The armed conflict in the Oromia region has caused immense suffering for the civilian population over the past seven years. Abuses targeting civilians have led to complex and, at times, irreversible damage to the lives, property, and social cohesion of civilians. Survivors are demanding an end to violations of their rights by all armed actors and continue their quest for justice and guarantees of non-repetition.