W4HR Investigative Report: I am Afraid of Scandal

Titled “I Am Afraid of Scandal,” this report is the first to be released by Watch for Human Rights about sexual violence against children. The report presents the findings of investigations into incidents of sexual violence against children during the conflict, conducted by researchers in 9 Yemeni governorates, and provides examples of verified incidents. The report covers the period from April 2022 to December 2023 and is part of the efforts undertaken by Watch for Human Rights to relay the experiences of victims, and combat the proliferation of impunity by pursuing an alternative approach to achieving justice and accountability.

This report exposes the horrors of the sexual violence that the children of Yemen have endured a crime that has long been shrouded in silence. Not only do parties to the conflict turn a blind eye and fail to devise solutions to confront this heinous crime, but also, regrettably, they are complicit in perpetuating and covering it up. Despite widespread societal rejection of sexual violence in Yemen, the findings published here confirm a growing tolerance for perpetrators, who are now protected by influential figures affiliated with the parties to the conflict. The crime has transcended its criminal context – it is evident that the patterns of behavior are closely linked to the deterioration of security resulting from the ongoing conflict, coupled with a culture of impunity and targeting of victims based on gender.

This report presents the findings of investigations into 13 incidents of sexual violence, resulting in 18 victims, including 3 girls. The limited number of girls does not reflect the reality of the situation but rather indicates that girls are more difficult to access than boys. The majority of the victims, 16 victims, were subjected to rape, while 2 were subjected to attempted rape and to forced marriage. These crimes were accompanied by other forms of abuse, including coercion by relatives leading to rape, forced nudity, forced prostitution, sexual photography, and extortion. Simultaneously, half of the victims were subjected to negative treatment, including harassment and severe assaults, as a result of being victims of sexual violence. They were treated as deviants, with some falsely accused of sexual harassment of children, or of participating in murders. Currently, 5 victims are detained on various charges, 3 were released after detention, and 1 victim was killed by their rapist out of fear of exposure.

This report documents the involvement of all parties to the conflict in these violations, including the Southern Transitional Council (33%), Ansar Allah group (Houthis) (28%), the internationally recognized Government of Yemen (22%), the Joint Forces (6%), while incidents attributed to criminal individuals accounted for 11%. The cases documented by the report do not – under any circumstances – represent all the victims, but rather offer a glimpse into the profound tragedy endured by children exposed to sexual violence, and their families.

This report asserts that the plight suffered by the children of Yemen due to sexual violence is profound, with sexual violence having a catastrophic effect on the spirits of the victims. The reporting of this crime is limited and inconsistent with its alarming proliferation. Those who dare to come forward often face threats and eventually withdraw their complaints. Multiple reasons are behind this, including social stigma, discriminatory social traditions, and victims’ distrust in law enforcement, which treats the victims of such crimes as deviants.

According to an estimate from Save the Children in 2021[1], 83 percent of all Yemeni children are at risk of experiencing sexual violence. This figure is based on the number of children living within 50 kilometers or less from active armed conflicts in which conflict parties have been reported to commit sexual violence against children. Additionally, this report’s findings indicate that the prevalence of impunity and the weakness of accountability mechanisms have encouraged perpetrators to commit sexual violence and evade punishment. Therefore, addressing this issue is crucial to protecting the large number of children at risk of experiencing sexual violence in Yemen through: the inclusion of justice and accountability concerns, particularly for children, in the ongoing peace talks, recognition by the parties that sustainable peace is unattainable without addressing such concerns, and urging the parties to enhance the capabilities of national child protection institutions. It is also imperative that public prosecutors in Aden and Sana’a prioritize investigating incidents of sexual violence against children, strictly adhering to children’s best interests. It is of utmost importance that the United Nations and the international community form an international committee to investigate grave violations, including those committed against children in Yemen.

An Arabic copy can be found at: